Answer given by Mr Borg on behalf of the Commission

4.12.2013

There is no such provision under existing EU legislation. This issue was, however, raised by the European Parliament during the negotiations that led to the adoption of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers[1]. Consequently, recital (50) of this regulation states that: ‘Union consumers show an increasing interest in the implementation of the Union animal welfare rules at the time of slaughter, including whether the animal was stunned before slaughter. In this respect, a study on the opportunity to provide consumers with the relevant information on the stunning of animals should be considered in the context of a future Union strategy for the protection and welfare of animals.’

The Commission has now mandated this study and results are expected by April 2014.

• [1] OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18.

OJ C 218, 10/07/2014