Meat from animals slaughtered without stunning

The plan establishes that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives, which speaks for marking and for preventing slaughter without stunning. The plan also considers that EU law should not prevent member states from democratically made decisions, which carries the demand for import ban. At the same time, the plan guarantees religious freedom and warns against politics that singles out Muslims, which makes the position uncertain.

• animals are sentient beingsdecisive»All djurhållning ska utgå från att djur är kännande varelser som ska leva goda liv.« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry shall be based on the fact that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives.”
• national self-determination against EU»EU-rätten innehåller orimliga begränsningar av medlemsländernas rätt att genomföra den politik de vill, även när besluten har fattats demokratiskt.« (party programme ↗)“EU law contains unreasonable limitations on member states' right to carry out the policy they want, even when decisions have been made democratically.”
• guaranteed religious freedom»Religionsfriheten ska garanteras« (party programme ↗)“Religious freedom shall be guaranteed”
• protection against singling out minorities»Vi har allt att vinna på att tillsammans försvara varandras möjligheter att leva goda liv varje gång konservativa krafter försöker stänga någon ute« (party programme ↗)“We have everything to gain from defending each other's opportunities to live good lives each time conservative forces try to shut someone out”

flags: intressekonflikt_djurskydd_religionsfrihet

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The party programme makes ethical animal husbandry and safe food into foundational principles for policy, with the consumer perspective before producer interests, and wants EU collaboration to be used to tighten regulations. Requirements for labelling and driving an EU ban on slaughter without stunning follow from that principle. At the same time the plan embraces free movement of goods, which speaks against one-sided import bans, and the conclusion is therefore uncertain.

• ethical animal husbandrydecisive»och etisk djurhållning är grundprinciper.« (party programme ↗)“and ethical animal husbandry are foundational principles.”
• consumer perspective before producer interest»ska vara utgångspunkten för en politik där säkra livsmedel, miljöhänsyn« (party programme ↗)“should be the starting point for a policy where safe food, environmental consideration”
• act through EU»Vi är övertygade om att EU-samarbetet är grunden för att lösa många av vår tids svåraste problem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We are convinced that EU collaboration is the foundation for solving many of the most difficult problems of our time.”
• free movement of goods»Vi bejakar principerna om fri rörlighet för varor, personer, tjänster och kapital.« (party programme ↗)“We embrace the principles of free movement of goods, people, services and capital.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan requires that animals' suffering during transport and slaughter be minimised and that the animal protection law be applied in full in the food industry too, and strong consumer protection with clear labelling of goods. The counter-proposal's requirement for labelling of meat from unstunned slaughter, an EU ban and the possibility to stop imports follows from this. The plan furthermore establishes that member states should be allowed to lead with stricter legislation even when it conflicts with the internal market.

• minimise suffering in slaughterdecisive»minimera djurs lidande vid transport och slakt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“minimise animals' suffering during transport and slaughter.”
• right to lead ahead of the EU»Medlemsländerna måste få rätt att gå före med« (party programme ↗)“Member states must be allowed to lead with”
• clear labelling»för konsumenterna genom god konsumentvägledning, tydlig märkning av varor och tjänster och« (party programme ↗)“for consumers through good consumer guidance, clear labelling of goods and services and”
• animal protection law in the food industry»Djurskyddslagen ska tillämpas fullt ut« (party programme ↗)“The animal protection law shall be applied in full”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The plan says explicitly no to restrictions on freedom of religion and wants more free trade instead of protectionism and closed borders. The counter-proposal wants to work for a general EU ban on halal and kosher slaughter and in the meantime be able to stop imports, which affects both these commitments. The plan's responsibility for animals speaks for the labelling requirement, but the binding freedom commitments weigh heavier. Therefore the plan rejects the requirement.

• no to restricted freedom of religiondecisive»Vi säger därför nej till visitationszoner, kollektiv bestraffning, omvänd bevisbörda, anonyma vittnen, preventiv avlyssning och inskränkningar av religionsfriheten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We therefore say no to search zones, collective punishment, reversed burden of proof, anonymous witnesses, preventive surveillance and restrictions on freedom of religion.”
• free trade, not closed borders»Sverige behöver mer frihandel och internationellt samarbete, inte protektionism och stängda gränser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs more free trade and international cooperation, not protectionism and closed borders.”
• respect for different worldviews»allmän acceptans och respekt för människors olika åsikter« (party programme ↗)“general acceptance and respect for people's different views”
• responsibility for animals»Människan har ett särskilt ansvar att agera så att andra levande varelser också kan fortleva.« (party programme ↗)“Humans have a special responsibility to act so that other living beings can also continue to exist.”

The party programme requires that all animal husbandry guarantees animals a decent death, which speaks against slaughter without stunning. To work for a ban within the EU and stricter requirements follows from the fact that control of animal welfare rules shall be strengthened, and the labelling requirement from the clear consumer perspective in food policy. The plan's respect for the internal market's mutual recognition is an objection to unilateral import ban, but does not alter the main line.

• decent death for animalsdecisive»All djurhållning måste garantera djuren ett värdigt liv och en anständig död.« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry must guarantee animals a dignified life and a decent death.”
• strengthened animal welfare control»nationella lagar och EU-regler efterlevs måste skärpas« (party programme ↗)“national laws and EU rules are followed must be strengthened”
• consumer perspective in food policy»ha ett tydligt konsument- och hållbarhetsperspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“have a clear consumer and sustainability perspective.”
• mutual recognition in the EU»med respekt för den inre marknadens grundläggande princip« (party programme ↗)“with respect for the internal market's fundamental principle”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan requires that stress, pain and injury to animals be avoided as far as possible and that unnecessary suffering must not occur, which supports the requirement for a ban on slaughter without stunning. The plan further gives the consumer the right to avoid products she does not want, with clear labelling that enables control. Religious freedom is a value the plan simultaneously values, which qualifies but does not overturn the conclusion.

• avoid suffering in animal husbandrydecisive»att så långt det är möjligt, undvika stress, smärta och skador för djuren« (party programme ↗)“that as far as possible, avoid stress, pain and injury to animals”
• no unnecessary suffering»Onödigt lidande ska inte förekomma« (party programme ↗)“Unnecessary suffering must not occur”
• clear labelling»En tydlig märkning, med möjlighet till kontroll« (party programme ↗)“Clear labelling, with opportunity for control”
• religious freedom»religionsfrihet en självklar mänsklig rättighet« (party programme ↗)“religious freedom a self-evident human right”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan does not address slaughter methods or meat labelling. The most closely related commitments speak against the demand: the internal market should be deepened and EU rules implemented at minimum level without new Swedish requirements, while the plan protects faith communities' ability to practise their faith. A Swedish import ban and new labelling requirements therefore do not follow from the plan, which rejects the demand.

• protect the internal marketdecisive»Fördjupa den inre marknaden, inte minst för tjänster och digitala produkter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Deepen the internal market, not least for services and digital products”
• no Swedish special requirements»Minska regelkrånglet och onödig byråkrati, bland annat genom att motverka överimplementering i Sverige av EU-beslut – som huvudregel ska EU-direktiv genomföras på miniminivå« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy, including by preventing over-implementation in Sweden of EU decisions - as a general rule, EU directives should be implemented at minimum level”
• religious freedom protected»Slå vakt om trossamfundens säkerhet för alla ska kunna utöva sin tro utan att känna sig hotade« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Safeguard faith communities' security so everyone can practise their faith without feeling threatened”

flags: citat_migrerat

The plan wants to ban imports of meat from animals slaughtered without stunning and work for a ban on such slaughter, with reference to the fact that halal and kosher slaughter without stunning causes great suffering. The counter-proposal's requirements for labeling, EU ban and possibility to stop imports are the same line. The party programme moreover makes an explicit exception from the free trade principle for goods produced through great and unnecessary animal suffering, which meets the objection about mutual recognition.

• import ban for non-stunneddecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill förbjuda import av kött och andra produkter från djur som slaktats utan bedövning, som tvångsmatats eller som på andra sätt behandlats på sätt som strider mot Sveriges regler för djurhållning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to ban imports of meat and other products from animals slaughtered without stunning, force-fed or otherwise treated in ways contrary to Sweden's rules for animal husbandry.”
• ban on non-stunned slaughter»Arbeta för ett förbud mot import av produkter från djur som har tvångsmatats eller slaktats utan bedövning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for a ban on imports of products from animals that have been force-fed or slaughtered without stunning”
• trade exception for animal suffering»import av varor som framställts genom att utsätta djur för stort och onödigt lidande.« (party programme ↗)“import of goods produced by subjecting animals to great and unnecessary suffering.”
• consumer's right to know»En del av det kött vi äter kommer från djur som har slaktats utan bedövning i form av religiöst motiverad halal- eller kosherslakt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Some of the meat we eat comes from animals that have been slaughtered without stunning in the form of religiously motivated halal or kosher slaughter.”