The Chair of the European Parliament Working Group Against Antisemitism (WGAS), Nicola Beer MEP, emphasised the need for protecting Jewish communities and Jewish life in the European Union at a time of growing antisemitism.
Mrs. Beer spoke at an online symposium on the Jewish Diaspora in Europe, organised by the Jewish Museum of Frankfurt.
Addressing the recent decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) concerning Belgian regional bans on the religious slaughter of animals, Mrs. Beer called for “a political environment that ensures that Jewish life, which is deeply rooted in European society, can thrive here.”
Mrs. Beer, a Vice-President of the European Parliament, stated that “Jews should not have to consider emigrating from Europe out of fear of not being able to perform fundamental religious practices.”
In the ECJ judgment of December 2020, the court had weighed the exercise of religious freedom against the objective of the protection of animal welfare, ruling that member states may adopt stricter rules on animal welfare than those contained in EU law.
At the symposium, Mrs. Beer considered the need for striking a balance between religious freedom and animal protection, stressing however that it must be done “without legally undermining the practical possibility of living Jewish tradition in everyday life.”
