Jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea sobre los sacrificios religiosos de animales

Abstract

This comment examines two judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) (Grand Chamber) regarding the restrictions for the ritual slaughter of animals, in the light of the EU regulations on this matter, the requirements to meet by slaughterhouses and the application of EU rules on organic production and labelling of organic products. According to the Court, EU legislation on the killing of animals does not represent a restriction on religious freedom in so far as it contemplates it. The technical requirements applicable to slaughterhouses do not necessarily impede the ritual slaughter in the light of Article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. However, products obtained after the ritual sacrifice of animals could not benefit from the rules on organic production and labelling. The Court has reaffirmed that the ritual slaughter is authorised only by way of derogation in the EU and solely in order to ensure observance of the freedom of religion.

Keywords

• ecological labelling
• religious freedom
• constraints
• religious slaughter of animals