
This is a new setback for the meat industries. The Council of State once again urgently suspended, Wednesday April 10, a government decree prohibiting manufacturers of plant-based meat substitutes from using the words “steak”, “escalope” or “ham”, notably on the grounds “that there is serious doubt about the legality of this ban”.
The text responded to a long-standing demand from stakeholders in the animal sector, who believe that terms like “vegetable ham”, “Vegan sausage” or “vegetarian bacon” can create confusion among consumers. The government published a first decree in June 2022, already suspended in summary proceedings by the Council of State, then a second at the end of February.
When asked about the first decree, the judge asked the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to find out whether a Member State could “adopt national measures regulating or prohibiting this type of denomination”. However, the CJEU has not yet responded. The second decree is suspended for the same reason “waiting for the response from the CJEU”justifies the Council of State, which has therefore not yet ruled on the merits of this matter.
The summary judge considers, moreover, that this text providing for a ban from 1er may “would seriously and immediately harm the interests of industrialists” who manufacture this type of product in France, while their competitors manufacturing in other European countries are not subject to it. The decree, which is among the commitments made by the government to appease the anger of farmers, was published during the last Agricultural Show.