A pledge from all EU member states to enforce a ban on battery hens has been welcomed by South East MEP Catherine Bearder.

Cramped cages were supposed to be banned from January, but the European Commission looked set to let some member states off the hook.

And UK egg producers who had spent around £400m on larger bird cages were angered some EU countries were set to flout the ban.

The loss of biodiversity is happening right under our noses… and too many people choose not to listen, said Catherine Bearder MEP.

It came as Catherine joined the Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, which is the hub for animal welfare in the European Parliament.

The group has successfully lobbied for an EU ban on the import of seal products and spearheaded a call to outlaw cloning of animals in the food chain.

Bikers are gearing up for a battle with European law makers over proposals which could impact on the extent motorbikes are modified.

The EU has said the proposed Type Approval and Market Surveillance Regulation is aimed at improving motorbike safety.

But the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), which has 50,000 UK members, claims it is unnecessary and is worried about the effect on the industry.

Making a call or sending a text while on holiday or business in a European Union (EU) country is set to become cheaper this summer.

EPs are expected to vote on Thursday (May 10) for a cut in the price companies can bill customers for calls and texts, while also rubberstamping a maximum fee for data usage.

A decision to roll out a 'Letter of Rights' for anyone arrested in the European Union has been welcomed by Catherine Bearder MEP.

EU Justice ministers have adopted the law following a European Commission bid to ensure defendants' right to information during criminal proceedings.

It means anyone arrested in an EU country will be entitled to a letter explaining their rights in a language they understand.

My 'Don't Rubbish Our Recycling' campaign is starting to gain some real momentum.

It is all about lifting the lid on household waste.

Hopefully, it will be something you can use in local campaigns, maybe debunk some myths about what happens to junk in your area, or even expose glitches in the recycling system.

Slavery will be wiped out at cocoa farms used by Ferrero within the next eight years, the chocolate maker has pledged.

Catherine Bearder, an MEP for the South East, welcomed the confectionary giant's stand, which follows anti-slavery moves by Nestle and Hershey.

The Italian firm, which produces Ferrero Rocher, Nutella spread and Kinder eggs, said it will eradicate child and forced labour on plantations by 2020.

Councils across the South East have been urged chop down on the amount of illegal timber they use.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has ranked all councils in the UK based on their timber policies.

It came as MEPs this week voted in favour of two agreements with Liberia and Central African Republic (CAR) to stop illegally felled timber from entering the EU.

MEPs today voted on concrete steps to protect and restore biodiversity in Europe over the next 10 years as a matter of urgency.

In Europe, some 25% of all species are threatened with extinction and worldwide an estimated 75% of fish stocks are over-exploited or significantly depleted. Around 75% of the genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost worldwide since 1990.

Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder has called on UEFA to help clampdown on the potential for human trafficking at its big tournaments.

In a debate in the European Parliament, the long-standing campaigner against sexual exploitation of children, women and men said:

"While UEFA should be commended for launching campaigns to tackle racism in the game, I believe it is not doing enough to raise awareness of human trafficking."

Plans to continue extracting natural gas from sites in the South East using the 'fracking' technique were today criticised by Catherine Bearder MEP.

The Government has given the go-ahead to allow the controversial drilling method, as long as tighter controls are also introduced.

Fracking involves pumping water and chemicals into shale rock at high pressure to extract gas. The process sparked two earth tremors in Blackpool last year.

Anyone hoping to vote in the local elections next month is being urged to make sure they are registered before turning up at the Polling Station.

Catherine Bearder, a Lib Dem MEP for the South East, pointed out the deadline to register to vote is Wednesday, April 18.

She said: "Elections impact on all our lives. It is vital people get to have their say on who runs their council.

Catherine met Lib Dem activists in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells at the weekend as the party geared up for May's elections.

Catherine said: "It's great to such a dedicated group of volunteers focused on winning elections.

"But they still need more support and it would be great if even more of us could get out and help in the next couple of weeks."

Community clean up days are encouraging more people to recycle in Gosport.

Catherine Bearder, a Lib Dem MEP for the South East, visited AJ Recycling on Friday to learn more about the firm's work in the town.

She said: "I was impressed to see the scale of the operation and how many people are embracing it."

The Liberal Democrats have created a "fertile ground" for investment in the South East's green economy, Catherine Bearder MEP said today.

The coalition Government announced on Wednesday a series of measures to alleviate fuel poverty and encourage demand for insulation and energy saving products.

But figures have also shown the extent of private investment into the region from green businesses, which have created thousands of jobs.

A Europe-wide initiative aimed at raising awareness of Parkinson's Disease with EU policymakers has been backed by Catherine Bearder MEP.

The Pledge for Parkinson's was launched in the European Parliament today (April 11) and is a four-point call to action aimed at improving the lives of sufferers.

Catherine has become part of the European Parkinson's Disease Association (EPDA) MEP support network, which will focus on making the condition an EU healthcare policy priority.

Millions of people across the South East are set to see a cut in the amount of income tax they pay from tomorrow (Friday, April 6).

The coalition Government last month unveiled plans to lift 140,100 people in the region out of paying income tax, while another 3.6 million will see their bills cut.

Catherine Bearder, a Liberal Democrat MEP for the South East, hoped the reduction would start helping hard-pressed families.

A Caterham teenager created an electric atmosphere at the European Parliament - urging MEPs to boost battery-powered cars.

Liam Kelly, 13, won a trip to Brussels, after winning an eco-video competition, organised by Eurostar and the Young People's Trust for the Environment.

Liam is already spearheading the Make the Link - Climate exChange project at his school - the Royal Alexandra and Albert in Reigate - run by charities Plan UK and the Citizenship Foundation.

Shopkeepers and supermarkets are being urged to make sure their shelves are next year stocked with Easter eggs made with traffick-free chocolate.

Catherine Bearder, an MEP for the South East, has recently visited a cocoa factory in the Ivory Coast and is working to help improve the industry.

She is also supporting charity Stop the Traffik's campaign calling on shops to make sure Easter eggs they sell are not made using child labour.

Milton Keynes' Lib Dems launched their local election campaign with a strong recycling message and the help of one of their local MEPs.

Recycling rates are rising across the South East, but where do your plastic bottles, cans and newspapers actually end up?

Catherine Bearder MEP has asked local authorities to explain where recycled waste is taken, is it put in landfill? Is it incinerated? Is it shipped to China?