(NL Times) The Council of State has given a mostly favorable assessment of Esther Ouwehand’s (Partij voor de Dieren) bill aimed at reducing animal suffering during slaughter. Among its provisions is a proposal to make stunning animals mandatory before ritual slaughter. The Council notes that there is now a greater scope than in the past to prioritize animal welfare when considering limits on religious freedom.
This conclusion is based on recent rulings from European courts. “This case law does not mean that member states of the European Union are required to ban ritual slaughter without stunning,” the advisory opinion states. “However, it does mean that a ban on ritual slaughter without stunning is not, under certain conditions, incompatible with freedom of religion.”
