Dutch State Secretary proposes ban on unstunned ritual slaughter

Dutch State Secretary Erkens of the VVD is advocating for a ban on ritual slaughter without prior stunning, stating that such practices ‘do not belong in the Netherlands.’ While Erkens clarifies he does not wish to ban ritual slaughter itself, he aims to mandate that animals be sedated before slaughter to uphold national animal welfare standards.

The proposal addresses the current exception in Dutch law that allows for the slaughter of animals for kosher and halal meat without prior stunning. Erkens noted that approximately half of ritual slaughter in the country already involves stunning. He emphasized that religious dietary practices can continue, but the legal framework must be carefully designed to balance animal welfare with the fundamental right to freedom of religion.

This debate follows a previous attempt by the Partij voor de Dieren to implement a similar ban, which failed in the Senate in 2012. Recent legal precedents, including a 2024 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights regarding bans in Belgium, may influence the legislative process. Critics of the debate note that while the focus is often on the final moments of slaughter, broader issues in the industrial farming sector remain significant.