The European Commission confirmed on Thursday 4 February that it could not extend the derogation, which expired at the end of 2020, allowing unapproved slaughterhouses to process their products without health approval (hygiene derogation).
Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture, including Anne Sander (EPP, France), Carmen Avram (S&D, Romania) and Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany), strongly protested the expiry of this derogation and asked the Commission to find a viable solution to allow local slaughter methods.
The representative of the European Commission admitted that several EU countries called in October 2020 for the continuation of the current derogation system. However, as the legal basis has expired, it has not been possible to extend this derogation, the Commission explained. It therefore leaves it up to EU countries to legislate on which slaughterhouses benefit from this derogation. However, MEPs are calling for a European regulation in this area.
The Commission representative clarified that the on-site slaughter of poultry and rabbits would continue to be possible.
Today, it is forbidden to slaughter large animals on the farm. The Commission will propose, in March, in a delegated act, to allow the slaughter of a few large animals at the place of holding, under conditions (presence of a veterinarian, slaughter of maximum 3 horses or 3 cattle or 6 pigs and transport maximum 2 hours after slaughter). Currently, large animals can be slaughtered on the farm, but only using a complete mobile slaughterhouse, the Commission said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)