K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Polish parliament votes to ban $1.8 billion industry of kosher and halal meat for export

September 18, 2020 - from JTA:

"Poland has moved a step closer to terminating its $1.8 billion industry of kosher and halal meat for export — one day after a parliamentary committee had removed language about a ban in an animal rights bill."

"On Thursday night, the parliament’s lower house, the Sejm, voted in favor of the Law on Animal Protection. Among the 460 lawmakers, 375 backed the measure. The text on the ban was reintroduced, Tok FM reported."

"The bill must still pass the Senate to go into effect. The law, whose final text has not been published, bans the slaughter of animals without prior stunning. There is an exception for meat produced for the needs of religious minorities in Poland, according to the PAP news agency."

"Meat producers affected by the ban will be compensated by the government, which will also determine the precise conditions of who may conduct slaughter without stunning, the law says."

"Jaroslaw Kaczysnki, a leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, authored the legislation, which also bans breeding animals for fur and their use in circus shows."

"Poland has fewer than 20,000 Jews and a similarly sized Muslim minority but is nonetheless a major exporter of kosher and halal meat."

"Opponents of slaughter without stunning, which is a prerequisite for halal and kosher meat, say its cruel. Proponents of the practice say its relatively painless."

Polish parliament expected to debate bill on ending export of kosher and halal meat

September 8, 2020 - from JTA:

"Poland’s ruling party said Tuesday that it will introduce a bill to make kosher and halal meat permissible for Poles but not for export."

"The legal status of Poland’s kosher and halal meat industry — the country is a major exporter — became unclear in 2013 when the parliament banned the slaughter of animals without prior stunning. But the following year, the Constitutional Court ruled the ban unconstitutional. Its decision, however, said only that the ban on ritual slaughter 'for the needs of religious minorities in Poland' was unconstitutional."

"Proponents of the practice argued the ruling applied to the entire industry, while opponents said for-export slaughter without stunning was illegal."

"Throughout the debate, export has continued. In 2017, over 50,000 tons of kosher and halal meat were exported from Poland, mainly to Israel (11,700 tons) and Turkey (16,100 tons)."

"Legislation spelling out the limitations of kosher and halal slaughter may end the industry while allowing small-scale slaughter for the several thousand observant Muslims and Jews who live in Poland."

"The bill includes a ban on breeding animals for fur, enabling police assistance in rescuing abused animals, empowering veterinary inspectors to hand out fines and a ban on keeping animals on short tethers."