Hassan has just moved to Liège, after spending many years in Brussels. However, he is unfamiliar with the regulations governing ritual slaughter in Wallonia, and has some questions.

What Does the Law Say?

Ritual requirements for animal sacrifice are an integral part of religious freedom.

• Article 19 of the Belgian Constitution :

” Freedom of worship, freedom of public worshipas well as the freedom to express one’s opinions in all matters, are guaranteed, except for the punishment of offences committed in the exercise of these freedoms.

• Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR):

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes (…) the practice and observance of rites. The freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may not be subject to any restrictions other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”

At the same time, animal welfare is an objective pursued at European and national level:

• Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) :

“(…). The Union and the Member States shall take full account of the welfare requirements of animals as sentient beings, while respecting the legislative or administrative provisions and customs of the Member States relating in particular to religious rites, cultural traditions and regional heritage..”

• Council Regulation (EC) no. 1099/2009 of September 24, 2009, on the protection of animals at the time of killing, requires member states to stun animals in order to minimize suffering.

In Belgian law, since the sixth state reform in 2014, jurisdiction over animal welfare has been regionalized.

• Région flamande :
  • Flemish decree of July 7, 2017, amending the law of August 14, 1986, imposes mandatory reversible stunning, including during ritual slaughter. Stunning must not lead to the immediate death of the animal, in order to remain compatible, according to the Flemish authorities, with religious rites.
• La Région Wallonne :
  • Decree of August 4, 2018 establishing the Walloon Animal Welfare Code: also imposes reversible stunning for all types of slaughter, including ritual slaughter.
• La Région Bruxelloise :
  • A similar ordinance proposal was submitted to the Brussels Parliament, but rejected by a negative vote in July 2022.

The notion of proportionality

Various appeals have been lodged at both national and European level:

• In 2021, the Belgian Constitutional Court rejected two appeals for annulment(n°117/2021 and n°118/2021), lodged by the Belgian Muslim Executive, ruling that the stunning requirement did not violate the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution.
• On February 13, 2024, the European Court of Human Rights handed down an important ruling (Executief van de Moslims van België v. Belgique). The Court recognized an infringement of the religious freedom of the individuals concerned (Muslims and Jews) as a result of the ban on slaughter without stunning. However, it concluded that this restriction was legitimate and proportionate in the light of the objective of protecting animal welfare, considered to be a shared moral value in democratic societies.

What to do?

• Please contact your local council for details.
• Report your situation to the CCIE’s legal department, which will support you every step of the way.

Source :

• Articles 9 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
• Articles 10, 11 and 19 of the Belgian Constitution.
• Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)
• Council Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 of September 24, 2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing
• Flemish decree of July 7, 2017 amending the law of August 14, 1986 on animal protection and welfare
• Walloon Decree of August 4, 2018 on the Walloon Animal Welfare Code.
• Constitutional Court, September 30, 2021, no. 117/2021 and 118/2021
• CEDH, Affaire executief van de moslims van België v. Belgium February 13, 2024.