In December 2023, Italy passed Law 172/2023, making it illegal to produce, sell, or distribute cultivated meat. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida positioned this as a step to protect the country from “the social and economic risks of synthetic food.” The law invokes the precautionary principle, a regulatory concept under International Trade Law that allows bans on products if there’s uncertainty about their safety. It also restricts the labelling of plant-based products using meat-related terms like “burger” or “sausage.”

One major issue with Italy’s ban is that it may violate EU trade laws. … The European Court of Justice’s recent ruling on plant-based labeling suggests that overly restrictive food laws can be struck down if they disrupt the EU’s internal market.

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Italy’s ban on cellular meat may seem like a stand for tradition, but it risks violating EU, WTO, and human rights laws. Instead of outright prohibition, Italy should allow [the European Food Saftey Authority] to complete its safety review and work towards harmonised regulations that balance innovation with consumer protection.

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