Brussels – 29/01/2025

The French Court released this Wednesday its final ruling on the decrees attempting to ban the use of traditional denominations for plant-based alternatives.

The decision follows the previous reasoning of the European Court of Justice, stating that such a ban would be contrary to EU law. The judge argues that Member-States do not have the right to enact measures prohibiting or regulating the use of such “common” or “descriptive” names.

The case that was brought to the Courts by the European Vegetarian Union(EVU), French Vegetarian Association(AVF),  Proteines France and Beyond Meat, comes now to an end with a full victory for the plant-based advocates.

According to Rafael Pinto, Senior Policy Manager at EVU, “This is an important victory for consumer protection since the arguments for introducing the ban were based on misconceptions, not data”, adding that “We hope the ruling can change the priorities of the French Government and better align them with citizens’ needs, such as supporting sustainable farming, increasing competitiveness and protecting consumers, instead of continuing down this inefficient path”.

The French government will now have to pay legal fees of 3000€ to EVU and AVF, another 3000€ to Proteines France and 3000€ to Beyond Meat in what “could be seen as a symbolic moment and cautionary tale for other denomination bans”, states the EVU.

Although the case went the way of the NGO’s, the ruling does not forbid the French Government from proposing a new ban that follows the legal requirements set by the European Court of Justice. The decision from last year ruled that Member-States can only implement bans under certain conditions. A country would need to legally define meat products and the ban could only be applied to products produced in that country.

According to the EVU, if such a proposal is forwarded by a Member-State, “that could create significant issues for the whole of the food industry, since definitions may vary per country. Furthermore, it would put companies from that Member-State at a significant disadvantage compared to other EU partners”.

The final ruling can be found here.

Background

The French Conseil d’Etat had in 2023 referred parts of a court case brought forward by the EVU, the Association Végétarienne de France (AVF) and  Beyond Meat, to the ECJ. This referral was in response to the 2021 decree introduced by the French government that prohibited the use of “meaty” denominations for plant-based foods produced in the country. The EVU and other parties have argued that this decree’s compatibility with EU law is questionable, leading to the current proceedings. In October 2024, the ECJ ruled that the bans were not compatible with EU law. This decision was now followed by the French Court that cancelled the decrees and ordered the French Government to cover legal fees for the case.

For media inquiries, please contact: rafael.pinto@euroveg.eu, +351914911004. 

About the European Vegetarian Union:

The European Vegetarian Union (EVU) is the umbrella association of 46 civil society organisations in 28 countries. The EVU represents the voice of the growing number of European consumers shifting towards a more plant-based diet. As such, we advocate for a favourable food environment that makes it easier to choose more plant-based foods and dishes. www.euroveg.eu