Brussels government is delaying the ban on unsedated slaughter

Brussels is the only Belgian region that does not have a ban on unsedated slaughter. “When I heard the Ecolo party in the Brussels Parliament today, and Minister Clerfayt admitted that the Brussels government still has no position on this issue, it is clear that this Brussels government still does not take animal welfare seriously,” complains Cieltje Van Achter, N-VA group chair in the Brussels Parliament. She is submitting her own ordinance proposal.

Never before has there been so much support for taking animal welfare seriously. Traditions and customs that cause unnecessary animal suffering are being questioned and regulated. On Wednesday, the Environment Committee in the Brussels Parliament approved an ordinance extending the ban on pony carousels in Brussels.

Brussels is the only region where unsedated slaughter still takes place

The number of ponies that will have a better life from now on through this ordinance is large enough to do something about it, but rather limited in the larger scheme of things. The impact of a ban on unsedated slaughter, however, is not. Brussels is still the only place in Belgium where unsedated slaughter takes place. In 2016 (most recent figures), 5,058 calves and 13,269 sheep and goats were slaughtered without sedation in the slaughterhouse in Anderlecht. And this happens while we know very well that there are alternatives that respect both religious freedom and animal welfare.

European Court of Justice has already ruled

The European Court of Justice also agrees. In December, the Court ruled on the Flemish ban, which came into effect as early as 2019. According to the Court, the obligation to use reversible stunning during slaughter strikes the right balance between the importance attached to animal welfare on the one hand and the freedom of Jewish and Muslim believers to practise their religion on the other. This carefully designed Flemish scheme can therefore also be introduced in Brussels.

Animal welfare is not important to Ecolo

“It is now over two years since Flanders and Wallonia banned slaughter without sedation. In the coming month, Minister Clerfayt will be meeting with the religious communities and animal rights organisations. Furthermore, the Brussels government offers hardly any prospects. The Minister is not yet working on a legislative proposal. There is no concrete timeline. In fact, and what’s more, the Brussels government has still not taken a position. The PS remained silent during today’s debate, and Ecolo clearly does not support a ban yet. Real animal welfare is clearly not that important for these parties,” Cieltje Van Achter concludes.