Conseil d'Etat

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Politics & Law

France Overturns Restrictions on Plant-Based Food Labels After EU Ruling

The French Council of State has annulled two government decrees that sought to prohibit plant-based food producers from using terms traditionally associated with animal-based products, such as “steak” and “sausage.” The decision follows a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which found that such national restrictions conflict with European regulations. The legal dispute dates back to 2020, when the French Parliament introduced a law barring the use of meat-related terminology for marketing plant-based products. This was later reinforced by a government decree issued in June 2022, followed by an updated decree in February 2024. However, several companies and professional associations challenged these restrictions, arguing they were incompatible with EU law. Before making its final ruling, the Council of State sought …

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Politics & Law

Victory for Plant-Based Meat as French Conseil d’Etat Suspends Labelling Decree

The French Conseil d’Etat has suspended a decree banning the use of meat-like terms such as “steak” and “ham” for plant-based products. The suspension was requested by several plant-based food producers, including La Vie, Umiami, Happyvore, Nutrition & Santé, NxtFood, and Olga. The Conseil d’Etat agreed to suspend the decree, which would have come into force on May 1, on the basis that it may not be legal and could be damaging to plant-based meat producers. “The interim relief judge considers that there is serious doubt as to the legality of this prohibition,” the Conseil d’Etat said in a statement. “Pending the reply of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the interim relief judge of the Conseil d’Etat suspends the new decree, as …

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Politics & Law

France Asks European Court of Justice to Clarify Legality of Alt Meat Labelling Ban

The French Conseil d’Etat has asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to clarify whether the government’s decree banning the use of meat-like terms for plant-based products is compatible with EU law. The governmental body is requesting information on whether individual member states can introduce this type of law, or whether EU-level harmonisation prevents this. If it is considered allowable to introduce the law, the Conseil D’Etat is seeking clarification on whether the decree is a proportionate way of achieving the goal of consumer transparency. The requests come in response to a court case brought by The European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and other parties — who claim that the decree violates EU law — against the Conseil D’Etat. Once the ECJ has provided clarification, the …

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