Meertaligheid in de EU en het verschil tussen industriële en niet-grondgebonden veeteelt

The conditions that livestock manure must meet in order to be used in organic farming do not appear to be worded in the same way in all language versions of the applicable EU regulations. The French Council of State therefore asked the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) for clarification. In a judgment of 4 October 2024, the ECJ first confirmed that, in principle, all language versions have the same value. If there are differences between the language versions with regard to a provision, the provision in question must be interpreted in the light of the general scheme and purpose of the legislation of which it forms a part. Unless the wording of a provision of European Union law expressly refers to the law of the Member States for the purposes of determining its meaning and scope, the rule must be given an autonomous and uniform interpretation throughout the Union. In accordance with that assessment framework, the ECJ subsequently explained that manure from ‘factory farming’ may not be used in organic farming. The concept of ‘landless livestock production’ used, inter alia, in the Dutch version is too narrow. The ECJ further clarified that ‘factory farming’ not only refers to the animal-unfriendly way in which animals are housed, but on all conditions under which both animals and the environment are treated.