The European Commission and the Canadian Seal Hunt

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

In recent months, the European Parliament passed resolution 38 which called for a
Ban on the import, export and sale of all harp and hooded seal products. This Declaration achieved the highest number of signatures for any Written Declaration in EU history (425).

The Council of Europe also recently passed a resolution calling upon its 46 member states - including the European Union nations - to promote initiatives aimed at prohibiting the trade in seal products.

An article appearing last week in European Voice, a leading political newspaper, stating that the Commissioner responsible for this issue is to introduce legislation banning seal products as soon as possible.

The European Parliament and the Council of Europe have spoken clearly and deliberately on this issue. Citizens of the European Union and their governments find Canada’s commercial seal hunt morally unacceptable, and they are ending their trade in its products. It is now up to the European Commission to draft legislation to reflect the will of Europeans and the instructions of the European Parliament.

Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Loyola Hearne chose to issue a questionable and self-serving statement to the Canadian press on 26 January containing many misleading claims.  Members of the press are invited to contact Respect for Animals, or the European Commission itself, at any time for further clarification of the EU Commission response.

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