The background to this was the decision by the Belgian region of Flanders, which made the stunning of animals before slaughter mandatory back in July 2019, even if the slaughter is for religious traditions. Jewish and Muslim associations had filed a lawsuit against this. Although it is forbidden throughout the EU to slaughter animals without prior stunning, an exception allows slaughter without stunning if the meat is to comply with the respective religious rites and requirements, i.e. if it is to be kosher or halal. The ECJ has now confirmed that countries can decide to ban stunning-free slaughter in its entirety.

"This is a major and historic victory for animal welfare," said Manuela Ripa, MEP for the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP), welcoming the ruling. "Slaughter processes, and slaughter in particular, are associated with unimaginable suffering for the animals without stunning."

The ruling also makes it clear that the process of reversible stunning can reconcile an improvement in animal welfare in the slaughter process with the right to the free exercise of religion.

In connection with the trial, the Eurogroup for Animals had already conducted an opinion poll in October in October, which revealed that a large majority of citizens in the EU are strongly opposed to animals being slaughtered while fully conscious.

"I am pleased to see that the ECJ has confirmed the opinion of EU citizens and that minimum animal welfare requirements can be reconciled with religious freedom. I now hope that the EU Commission will also take up this ruling as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy and create clear, EU-wide legislation to ban stunning-free slaughter in the EU in its entirety," concludes Manuela Ripa.