Months of campaigning by European Jewish groups paid off in a series of votes at the European Parliament on Wednesday that have put shechitah (religious slaughter) on to its statute books.

Henry Grunwald, chairman of Shechitah UK, said: “This vote represents the first time that Shechita has been recognised as a legitimate form of animal slaughter by any European institution. We recognise that some European member states disagree on the issue but we are working hard to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all Jewish communities in Europe when the final text comes before the Council of Ministers in June.”