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| https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2019-002209_EN.html |
• 10 July 2019 - Dominique Bilde – [E-002209-1] - Subject: Alternatives to slaughter without stunning
and labelling of products derived from ritual slaughter
Article
4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 makes exceptions for
‘animals subject to particular methods of slaughter prescribed by religious
rites’, as agreed by Member States[1].
On
15 June 2004, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had voiced ‘serious
animal welfare concerns associated with slaughter without stunning’, adding
that ‘all animals which are slaughtered should be adequately stunned in a
humane way’. The EFSA outlined the possible ‘risks to hygiene in slaughter without
stunning, if separate knives are not used’[2].
Slaughter
without stunning could increase the risk of bacterial contamination, in
particular with Escherichia coli[3].
1.
Will the Commission publish statistics on slaughtering without stunning?
2.
Will it enforce specific labelling of products derived from ritual slaughter?
3.
Given its powers to maintain regular and transparent dialogue with different
religious groups, as laid down in Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning
of the European Union[4], will the Commission encourage the use of fail-safe reversible stunning
techniques?
Answer
given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf on behalf of the European Commission (20 August 2019):
« The EU legislation does
not require the Commission to collect statistical data on slaughter without
stunning. Therefore, the Commission is not in a position to obtain and publish
such data.
Regarding the labelling of
products derived from animals that have been slaughtered without stunning, the
Commission published a ‘Study on information to consumers on the stunning of
animals’[5].
The study concluded that ‘for most consumers information on pre-slaughter
stunning is not an important issue unless brought to their attention’.
Furthermore, the same
study also concludes that: ‘there is little accurate consumer understanding of
the slaughter process’.
In view of the above, the
Commission does not intend to propose Union measures on labelling of meat
obtained from animals that have been slaughtered without stunning.
Nevertheless, the Commission notes that Member States are obliged under Article
4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time
of killing[6]
to ensure that the derogation is only applied in case of religious needs.
This may imply that Member
States establish the need for appropriate labelling and control measures to
ensure that the meat does not enter the general market.
The Commission considers
that any scientifically validated stunning method is appropriate. The
Commission also considers that the derogation from stunning animals as provided
in Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at
the time of killing[7]
respects the freedom of religion and the right to manifest religion or belief
in worship, teaching, practice and observance, as enshrined in Article 10 of
the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union[8].»
[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R1099
[2] https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2004.45
[3] https://www.maxisciences.com/viande-halal/l-abattage-rituel-un-risque-sanitaire-faible-mais-qui-peut-etre-dramatique-voire-mortel_art22018.html
[4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?uri=celex%3A12012E%2FTXT
[5] https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/animals/docs/aw_practice_slaughter_fci-stunning_report_en.pdf
[6] Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the
protection of animals at the time of killing (OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p. 1).
[7] Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the
protection of animals at the time of killing (OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p. 1).
