Document type: Written answer from the European Commission
Authors: question: Guido Reil (ID). Answer: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission.
Question: In the Flanders region of Belgium, slaughtering sheep without stunning has been banned since the beginning of 2019. In 2020 this was extended to cattle.
The Federation of Veterinarians believes that the ban is the only way to protect both species from suffering in the long term.
However, on 10 September 2020, the Advocate General of the CJEU stated that the ban was in contravention of EU law and in particular of the freedom of religion.
- Is the Commission aware that the onset of death can take up to two minutes with sheep and up to six minutes with cattle when they are slaughtered without stunning?
- Does the Commission believe that Does the Commission believe that the mandatory stunning of animals prior to slaughter is the result of anti-religious or xenophobic motives?
- How does the Commission reconcile banning the ban with the animal welfare which it advocates?
Answer: 1. The Commission is aware that animals do not lose consciousness instantaneously after the cut when they are slaughtered without stunning. Scientific data show that the length of time for the animals to lose consciousness after the cut depends on the species and for each individual.
2 and 3. The Commission does not comment on cases presently under the examination of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
