Dinners organized by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science are now vegetarian by default. Carnivores and fish lovers will have to indicate their preferences in advance, instead of vegetarians having to do so, as it's usually the case.

Dutch minister Ingrid Van Engelshoven announced it on Monday and Dutch animal welfare party Partij voor de Dieren welcomed the move. "I think it's great that the education minister has decided to set an example," MP Christine Teunissen said on the party's website.

"The [Dutch] cabinet admitted as early as 2015 that meat and dairy are the two most environmentally damaging elements in our diet. I hope other ministries will follow this sustainable example," MP Teunissen added.

Even though dinners will be just vegetarian and not vegan, this is obviously a first step in the right direction.

The German government has already introduced vegetarian food as the norm at government dinners.

Read more about this on DutchNews.nl (in English) or Nos.nl (in Dutch)