On Thursday, the administrative court of Lyon canceled the decision of the city of Lyon to temporarily serve meatless menus in its school canteens, between February 22 and April 2, 2021. At the time, this decision had sparked controversy, although that the town hall has always explained that this is a way to guarantee all students hot meals while respecting the constraints imposed by the health protocol. And recalling in passing that the previous municipality had used the same process.
It was without counting on the anger of parents of students and the FDSEA, departmental federation of farmers’ unions who took legal action, on the basis of a decree dated September 30, 2011 relating to “the nutritional quality » Meals served in canteens.
The account was not there
This decree stipulates that “during a cycle of twenty successive meals”, it is advisable to offer “at least four meals with non-minced meats” in order to “guarantee the iron and trace element intake of children”. The court did the math: between February 22, 2021 and April 2 of the same year, twenty-two consecutive meals were served in school restaurants in the city. “None was made of meat,” he says.
What about the constraints related to the health protocol? “Whatever the circumstances, there can be no derogation from the regulations which require that main meat dishes be served with a certain frequency in the context of school catering”, ruled the court, dismissing the arguments presented by the town hall. “Organizational difficulties (related to the state of emergency) do not constitute, either, exceptional circumstances allowing derogation” from the rules in force, he supports.
The city “regrets” the court’s decision
The city of Lyon indicates, this Thursday, to take note of this decision but “regrets”, especially since “the nutritional balance” was respected since the menus were composed of eggs or fish, she underlines .
“The other alternative would have been, as in many cities, not to provide this essential service and thus leave families without a solution”, still believes the municipality. And to add: “In the context of a global pandemic, an exceptional situation if any, we considered it relevant to set up this system, which has already been used in the past”.
This decision of the administrative court of Lyon remains however symbolic. The meat had been reintroduced in the menus from April 26, 2021.