Animal welfare law, farm subsidies and plant-based labelling in France
France is the clearest case of a country legislating vividly against some practices while protecting others by statute. The same parliament that ended mink farming wrote foie gras into the rural code. For plant-based companies, France is also the most legally hostile European market for product naming.
Key facts
- World Animal Protection index
- D — Sentience recognition and circus reforms offset by intensive production and protected force-feeding.
- Practices reviewed
- 8
- Outright bans
- 3 of 8
- Region
- Europe
What is banned, restricted or legal
Sentience
since 2015Recognised in the Civil Code since 2015
Article 515-14 declares animals living and sentient beings, while keeping them subject to property law.
Foie gras
Force-feeding legal and legally protected
The rural code declares foie gras part of France's protected cultural and gastronomic heritage. France produces the large majority of the world's supply.
Mink farming
since 2021Banned by the 2021 animal welfare law
The same law phased out wild animals in travelling circuses and dolphinariums.
Wild animals in circuses
Phase-out completed under the 2021 law
Breeding and acquisition were prohibited immediately, with performances ending after a transition period.
Chick culling
since 2023Banned from 2023
France followed Germany in requiring in-ovo sexing for laying-hen hatcheries, with limited exemptions.
Battery cages
New cage installations prohibited
The 2018 EGalim law banned building or refitting cage systems for laying hens, without removing existing ones.
CCTV in slaughterhouses
Voluntary, after a mandatory proposal was dropped
Following L214's undercover investigations, a trial scheme was created but mandatory installation was not adopted.
Vegetarian meals in schools
since 2019One vegetarian meal per week required
The EGalim law requires a weekly vegetarian option in school canteens, with a voluntary daily option in many municipalities.
The largest recipient of CAP funds
France receives more CAP money than any other member state, around €9 billion a year. Coupled livestock support for suckler cows, sheep and goats is a significant national choice within that envelope, and dairy and beef regions depend on it. The Cour des comptes has repeatedly criticised the mismatch between these payments and France's own climate commitments.
Annual CAP receipts
Coupled support for livestock
Foie gras production share
Agriculture share of French greenhouse gases
The steak végétal saga
France adopted a decree in 2022 banning meat terminology on plant-based labels; the Conseil d'État suspended it. A revised 2024 decree listing 21 forbidden terms including 'steak', 'jambon' and 'escalope' was suspended again, and the court referred questions to the Court of Justice of the EU on whether national bans are compatible with the Food Information to Consumers Regulation. As of 2026 plant-based meat names remain sellable pending that ruling.
- Two national bans on meat names decreed and both suspended by the Conseil d'État
- The case is pending before the Court of Justice of the EU
- EU dairy-name restrictions apply: 'boisson à l'avoine', not 'lait d'avoine'
- No statutory definition of 'vegan'; the EVE Vegan and V-Label certifications fill the gap
- Products imported from other member states have continued to be sold under contested names
What is moving next
- 1
CJEU ruling on the legality of national plant-based naming bans
- 2
Pressure to extend the weekly vegetarian school meal to a daily option nationally
- 3
Debate on ending public support for foie gras production
Groups working on this
Questions people ask
Are animals legally sentient in France?
Yes, since 2015 the Civil Code describes them as living beings endowed with sentience, though they remain subject to the property regime.
Is foie gras protected by French law?
Yes. The rural code designates it part of France's protected cultural and gastronomic heritage, which is why EU-level pressure has not ended production.
Can you call it a vegan steak in France?
For now, yes. Two government decrees banning meat names were suspended by the Conseil d'État, which referred the question to the EU Court of Justice.
Do French schools have to serve vegetarian meals?
Yes — at least one vegetarian meal a week in school canteens under the EGalim law, with many cities offering a daily option.
How much CAP subsidy does France receive?
Around €9 billion a year, the largest share of any member state, including roughly €1 billion in coupled payments tied to keeping livestock.
How to interpret the rules in France
A welfare rule, a product label and a farm payment answer different questions. Read each practice separately: a restriction on one housing system is not a ban on all confinement, and recognition of sentience does not by itself prohibit farming or slaughter. The source links below are the starting point for checking the legal text.
| Question to check | Why the distinction matters |
|---|---|
| Is this enacted law, a proposal or a voluntary commitment? | A campaign, consultation or retailer pledge does not have the same legal effect as a rule in force. |
| Which territory, species and production stage are covered? | National, state or regional rules may differ. A rule for laying hens may not apply to broilers; a gestation restriction may not cover farrowing. |
| Are there exemptions or a transition period? | An announced ban may start later, allow specified exceptions or apply only to new facilities. |
| Does the rule concern production, sale or imports? | A domestic production ban does not automatically ban importing or selling the same product. |
| What is the denominator and year for a subsidy figure? | A total farm budget, a coupled-payment allocation and an estimate including feed support cannot be compared as if they measured the same thing. |
Before relying on a legal claim
- Open the linked primary source and check its latest consolidated version, territorial scope and commencement provisions.
- Distinguish legal requirements from vegan certification or marketing claims. Vegan and allergen-free are not equivalent assurances.
- Check whether a proposal has since passed, changed or been withdrawn. A review year is not a guarantee that every development has been verified.
- For compliance, complaints or legal advice, consult the responsible authority or a qualified adviser in the jurisdiction concerned.
Primary sources
Other countries
Data: Code civil, article 515-14 · Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.
Plain-language summary reviewed in 2026, not legal advice. Law changes — check the primary source before relying on it.