Beef products certified halal should not bearing the indication "organic farming"

On 24 september 2012 the administration in France takes mesures to end the advertising and marketing of minced beef patties, certifiied "halal" and bearing the "organic farming" indication for beefand vealderived from animals slaughtered without first being stunned.

"Stunning" means any intentionally induced process which causes loss of consciousness and sensibility without pain, including process resulting in instantaneous death.

Article 13 of the Treaty on the functioning of the Europeen Union prescribes that the menber states shall, "since animals are sentient beings, pay fullregard to the welfare requiremnts of animals" while respecting customs of the member states relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditios and regional heritage. The use of an accurate cut of the throat with a sharf knife "to minimise" the, does not allow the animals suffering to be kept to a minmum within the meaning of art.14 regulation N° 834/2007.

At the other hand article 4 of regulation N° 1099/2009 permits the practice of ritual slaughter as part of which an animal may be killed without first being stunned, which is authorised only by way of derogation in order to ensure observance of the freedom of religion.

To ensure that consumers are reassured that products bearing the Organic logo of the EU have actually been obtained in observance of the highest standarts, in particular in the area of animal welfare.

Therefore the Court concludes that slaughter without being stunned can not been authorised placing the organic logo of the EU on products from those animals.