EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL

Abstract

The European Green Deal aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and maps a new and inclusive growth strategy to boost the economy, improve people’s health and quality of life, care for nature, etc. EU Farm to Fork Strategy for fair, healthy and environmentally- friendly food system, among others, asks for „moving to a more plant-based diet“. Plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods. Plant-based diet does not exclude meat or dietary products totally, but the emphasis should be on plants. Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the meat consumption. Vegetarians consume eggs dairy products and honey. Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product in diet and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. Article 9 of European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union almost use the same text enshrining Freedom of thought, conscience and religion. To ensure the observance and engagements in the Convention and the Protocols, Council of Europe set up European Court of Human Rights. All European Union Member States are parties to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. European Court of Human Rights had many cases dealing with above-mentioned article 9. This paper will focus on Court’s cases dealing with veganism, vegetarianism and plant-based diet. It will investigate obligations, which arise from European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms to public administration institutions, namely hospitals, prisons, army, school and university canteens, etc. The paper will explore the practice of several European countries and Croatia. The results will show if veganism, vegetarianism and EU promoted plant-based diet are equally protected under European Convention or there are differences, and what differences if there are any.