There are several recent developments in Europe related to meat bans and restrictions, including: Italy's ban on cultivated meat In November 2023, Italy became the first country in the world to ban the production and sale of cultivated meat. The ban was justified as a way to protect Italian food traditions and the relationship between food, land, and labor. The ban also prohibits the use of meat-related words on labels for plant-based products. France's ban on plant-based product terms France has banned 21 terms for plant-based products to prevent them from being associated with meat. Poland's decree on plant-based products Poland has issued a decree that could lead to similar restrictions to those in Italy. Belgium's bans on halal and kosher slaughter Two of Belgium's three regions banned halal and kosher slaughter in 2017 and 2018, citing cruelty to animals. European rules for climate-friendly meat New rules require producers to provide clear, objective, and publicly available environmental commitments and targets. Some critics say that the Italian ban is a strategic move and that the lab-grown meat industry is still far from producing products in commercial quantities. Others say that the ban is a blow to animal welfare groups, who see lab-made meat as a way to protect the environment.