Brussels Considers Ban on Unstunned Animal Slaughter, Weighing Animal Welfare Against Religious Freedom

Invited by Fabrice Grosfilley on BX1+, Minister Bernard Clerfayt explains that it is for the government to manage a conflict between two values. "The value of animal welfare that we share today, and the value that is religious freedom, the freedom of religious rites." But for him, the choice is quickly made: "we must reduce the suffering of animals even during slaughter".

He states that the issue should no longer even be on the table since it has been legally settled. "The European Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court of Belgium have both handed down a ruling to say that imposing prior stunning is a limited infringement of religious freedom, but not to such a serious extent as to be contrary to this religious freedom."

He wishes the government to look into the issue once and for all. "The file will arrive on the government’s table on October 14, in order to establish rules in the Brussels Region that require prior stunning of animals before any slaughter. Now, we can discuss the modalities and see among ourselves within what timeframe we intend to implement them. But it seems logical to me that in the name of animal welfare, we apply similar rules to those in Flanders and Wallonia that have been approved," he stressed.