Ritual slaughter laws Europe map

Europe countries.svg by Tintazul > Blank map of Europe.svg by Maix > Blank map of Europe cropped.svg by Revolus > Ritual slaughter laws Europe map.svg by Nederlandse Leeuw (this map). This map is dynamic and may be updated to reflect new information. Earlier static .png version (now used for historic purposes to reflect the state of affairs in 2018): File:Legal requirements for ritual slaughter in Europe 2018.png.

General notes

• Most countries that restrict or ban ritual slaughter do allow the import of meat from unstunned ritually slaughtered animals.
• There are many Islamic and Jewish authorities and slaughterhouses that consider meat from stunned ritually slaughtered animals to be halal or kosher, and label and sell it as such.

Sources used in creating this map:

Main sources

• Legal Restrictions on Religious Slaughter in Europe. loc.gov. Library of Congress (14 May 2018). Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved on 22 June 2018. (Map (inaccurate regarding Slovakia and Åland))
• Silvio Ferrari, Rossella Bottoni (2006–2010). Legislation on religious slaughter. Factsheet. DIALREL. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved on 22 June 2018. (partially outdated)

Additional sources

• Belgium:
  • Unstunned conventional slaughter was banned in Wallonia in June 2018; unstunned ritual slaughter was banned in September 2018. Jos De Greef (17 May 2017). "Wallonië verbiedt het onverdoofd slachten van dieren". DeRedactie.be.
  • Unstunned ritual slaughter was banned in Flanders in January 2019. Jan Gerits (28 June 2017). "Vlaams Parlement keurt verbod op onverdoofd slachten goed". DeRedactie.be.
  • The Brussels region still allowed for unstunned ritual slaughter as of December 2017, but banned home slaughter in December 2017, and expected to debate a total ban on unstunned slaughter soon. (19 December 2017). "Brussels Gewest krijgt verbod op thuisslachten". Knack.
  • Several Jewish and Islamic organisations challenged the Flemish ban at the Belgian Constitutional Court, which referred the matter to the European Court of Justice. On 17 December 2020, the European Court of Justice confirmed that the Flemish legal requirement of reversible stunned slaughter was not in violation of European Union law on religious freedom, and that EU member states have the right to introduce such requirements in order to promote animal welfare. The Brussels region was still debating a ban. (17 December 2020). "Clerfayt over verbod onverdoofd slachten: 'Blaast debat in Brussel nieuw leven in'". Bruzz.
• Finland: The Finnish autonomous province of Åland requires pre-cut stunning (DIALREL), whereas the rest of Finland requires simultaneous cutting and stunning (stunning starts as soon as the first cut is made) (Library of Congress).
• Netherlands: A veterinarian needs to be present (since 2011). Since 1 June 2018, the animal has to die within 40 seconds. Animals that don't die within 40 seconds still need to be stunned. Abdel Ilah Rubio (13 July 2018). "Deel Nederlandse moslims wil offerfeest boycotten". Algemeen Dagblad.
• United Kingdom: about 80% of halal meat comes from stunned animals, even though stunning is legally not required in ritual slaughter in the UK. Leading vet calls for an end to religious slaughter. National Secular Society (6 March 2014). Retrieved on 22 June 2018.
• Slovenia: The only country that has banned all ritual slaughter, and only allows meat production through conventional slaughter. (Library of Congress)
• Sweden: "Swedish Animal Welfare Act, 1988. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014.; Eurogroup for Animals (2009) Religious slaughter – state of play.; Sweden postpones move to ban the kosher slaughter of poultry
• Switzerland and Liechtenstein: Poultry that is ritually slaughtered does not have to be stunned (Library of Congress).