Differing approaches to stunning and slaughtering of livestock in some European jurisdictions may hinder halal meat production.
London/Brussels – European Union member states have had a freer hand to impose stunning requirements, including kosher as well as halal production since December 2020 because of a European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision. The court ruled that member states could mandate pre-slaughter non-lethal stunning despite the religious exemption to mandated stunning within September 2009 EU regulation on animal protection at the time of killing.
“Slaughter without stunning is allowed according to EU rules, but member states can implement stricter national rules that may limit some methods of slaughter,” said a European Commission spokesperson.
Under the EU’s 2009 regulation, a wide range of stunning methods are permitted across the EU, which includes electrical stunning, mechanical stunning with a penetrative and non-penetrative captive bolt, and gas stunning – listed in annex 1 of the law.
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Liz Newmark and Sarah Gibbons