The Federal Constitutional Court rejected a constitutional complaint concerning the law aimed at securing employee rights within the meat industry. This decision was announced by the judges in Karlsruhe on Wednesday. The complainants had challenged the penalty-backed ban on external personnel and cooperation arrangements in the areas of slaughtering, dismantling, and meat processing. Since January 1, 2021, workers in this core sector cannot be employed based on work contracts, and as of April 1, 2024, the use of temporary agency workers has been completely prohibited. The court determined that this ban is compatible with the professional freedom of companies in the meat industry. The interference with this professional freedom was deemed justified by high-level interests relating to labor and occupational safety, which outweigh other considerations in the overall assessment. The Senate clarified that the legislator implemented this ban in response to severe violations of labor and occupational safety regulations within the meat processing sector. They concluded that the regulation is “suitable, necessary, and particularly appropriate” for promoting labor and health protection. Furthermore, the court found that the legislature did not exceed its margin of assessment and design, as it was able to draw upon findings from various monitoring operations and projects.
German Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Meat Industry Regulations
