Legal development
The development of the law
Judgments, legislation and international instruments in chronological order. Each entry states what its date refers to — the date of the judgment, the legally relevant date of the legislation, or the date FFVR published its analysis.
- JudgmentECtHR
2026-07-16
G.K. and A.S. v. Switzerland (Chamber judgment)
Date of the judgment.
The Chamber states that veganism is regarded as a non-religious belief and that the applicants' convictions attained the required level of seriousness. The judgment is not yet final.
Legal significance: The judgment does not establish an unconditional right to vegan food in the public sector, and its wider relevance is a matter of interpretation.
Read more - LegislationSweden
2020-01-01
The Convention on the Rights of the Child becomes Swedish law
Legally relevant date for the legislation.
Through SFS 2018:1197 the Convention applies as Swedish law from 1 January 2020.
Legal significance: The best interests of the child must be considered and the child heard in matters affecting them, including school meals.
Read more - LegislationPortugal
2017-04-17
Portuguese Law No. 11/2017
Legally relevant date for the legislation.
Requires public canteens to offer a plant-based option on request.
Legal significance: An example of a legislative choice in another member state. It has no legal effect in Sweden.
Read more - International instrumentUnited Nations
2015
The Nelson Mandela Rules
Date the instrument was adopted.
The UN standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners, including provisions on adequate nutrition.
Legal significance: The Rules are not binding but are used as interpretive support in questions of prison diet.
Read more - LegislationEU
2014-02-26
Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement
Date the instrument was adopted.
Allows quality and sustainability criteria in public procurement, including of food and catering services.
Legal significance: Procured contracts can in practice affect which meals a public body is able to offer.
Read more - JudgmentECtHR
2013-12-17
Vartic v. Romania (No. 2)
Date of the judgment.
The Court reiterated and developed the Jakóbski reasoning concerning a prisoner requesting a vegetarian diet on religious grounds.
Legal significance: Confirms that the authority must be able to give concrete reasons for a refusal rather than invoke general difficulties.
Read more - JudgmentECtHR
2010-12-07
Jakóbski v. Poland
Date of the judgment.
A Buddhist prisoner was refused a vegetarian diet. The Court found a violation of Article 9, given that he was detained and could not obtain food himself.
Legal significance: Establishes that a conviction-based diet can be a protected manifestation — but the case concerns a detained person, not public catering generally.
Read more - LegislationSweden
2010
The Education Act (2010:800)
Legally relevant date for the legislation.
Provides that school meals in compulsory school must be free of charge and nutritionally adequate.
Legal significance: The Act does not specify which meal alternatives must be offered; that is for the organiser to decide.
Read more - LegislationSweden
2008
The Swedish Discrimination Act (2008:567)
Legally relevant date for the legislation.
Consolidates the Swedish prohibitions on discrimination, with religion or other belief as one of seven grounds.
Legal significance: How ethical conviction relates to the ground of religion or other belief is not generally settled in Swedish case law.
Read more - LegislationEU
2000-11-27
Directive 2000/78/EC on equal treatment in employment
Date the instrument was adopted.
Prohibits discrimination in employment on grounds including religion or belief.
Legal significance: The Directive's scope is employment, not public catering in general.
Read more - International instrumentUnited Nations
1993-07-30
UN Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 22
Date the instrument was adopted.
The Committee clarifies that Article 18 ICCPR covers theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, and that dietary rules can constitute a manifestation of belief.
Legal significance: Confirms at UN level that dietary practice can be a protected manifestation of belief.
Read more - JudgmentECtHR
1982-02-25
Campbell and Cosans v. United Kingdom
Date of the judgment.
The Court sets out what a view must attain to constitute a protected conviction: cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance.
Legal significance: The criteria are still used to determine whether a non-religious conviction is protected.
Read more - International instrumentCouncil of Europe
1950-11-04
The European Convention on Human Rights is adopted
Date the instrument was adopted.
Article 9 of the Convention protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion, covering religion as well as other beliefs.
Legal significance: Provides the legal basis for all later judgments on conviction and diet.
Read more
The information provided by FFVR is intended for general informational and educational purposes. It is not individual legal advice. The legal analysis presented on this website includes both established law and FFVR's interpretation of relevant legal principles. Where FFVR advocates for a particular legal development, this should not be understood as a statement that such a right already exists under Swedish law.