Document type : Answer from the European Commission
Authors: Question: Virginie Joron (ID), Annika Bruna (ID). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
Question: On 17 December 2020, the European Court of Justice ruled that Member States could make it mandatory for animals to be stunned before slaughter. It is important to note that the ECJ ruling also emphasises that Member States can introduce compulsory stunning prior to ritual slaughter carried out according to religious requirements. As a result, at EU level, there is no legal requirement preventing Member States from putting an end to slaughter without stunning, which is particularly widespread in the halal market. Furthermore, the Council has expressed its wish to bring in a European animal welfare label that includes the method of slaughter. Nine out of ten Europeans are in favour of stunning prior to slaughter.
Could the Commission state precisely when and how it will include the ECJ ruling in its legislative proposals, and when and how it plans to bring forward proposals that take account of the Council’s clear ambition to introduce a European animal welfare label stating the method of slaughter?
Answer: In the framework of the Farm to Fork Strategy(1), the Commission will revise the animal welfare legislation, including on the slaughter of animals, to align it with the latest scientific evidence, broaden its scope, make it easier to enforce and ultimately ensure a higher level of animal welfare. The Commission will also consider options for animal welfare labelling to better transmit value through the food chain.
Consequently, the Commission started in 2020 an evaluation of the EU animal welfare legislation (‘fitness check’). The Commission will also launch in 2021 a study on animal welfare labelling.
Based on the results of these preliminary works, as well as other sources of information, like Court rulings, the Commission will decide upon the necessary initiatives.
The Commission plans to revise the existing animal welfare legislation by the last quarter of 2023.
