EU Court Advisor Opposes Flanders’ Ban on Ritual Slaughter, Muslim Groups Welcome Opinion

"The Advocate General advises the Court of Justice to rule that the Member States of the Union, such as Belgium, should not adopt an absolute ban on slaughter without stunning, including ritual slaughter practiced by the Muslim and Jewish communities. Member States should also not impose another stunning procedure - such as reversible stunning - on these religious communities," the EMB and the CIB said in a joint statement.

"Member States are required to respect the deeply rooted religious beliefs of the Muslim and Jewish community by allowing ritual slaughter of animals without stunning. While Member States may adopt strict rules to protect animal welfare, they cannot, however, attack the ’core’ of the religious practices of the Islamic and Jewish faith. The protection of religious communities in the context of the slaughter process was a legitimate political choice of the Union legislator," they added.

The Muslim community is awaiting, for the time being, with confidence the final judgment of the Court of Justice. The two Muslim organizations believe that after all, the current techniques of ritual slaughter are a full-fledged alternative to animal stunning techniques and are perfectly compatible with European and Belgian requirements in terms of public health, food safety and animal welfare. "In a harmonious and diversified society, it must be possible to solve certain important social problems in various ways, without forcing everyone to submit to a false oversimplified solution," they insist.

According to these two Muslim organizations, the Flemish and Walloon ban on ritual slaughter is clearly contrary to the freedom of religion enshrined in the Belgian constitution and the Charter of the European Union. "In a pluralistic society, it is important to work with all segments of society on animal welfare, without stigmatizing certain communities," they continue, adding that empathy and mutual understanding are at the heart of common European values. The Muslim community is convinced that the rule of law will prevail.