EU SEAL IMPORT BAN TO BE PROPOSED TODAY

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Respect for Animals welcomes today’s anticipated proposal from the European Commission to ban the import of and trade in seal products throughout the EU.

Each year hundreds of thousands of seals are killed in countries such as Canada and Namibia for their fur and many of the products of these hunts are imported into the EU.

“The Commission proposal is a fantastic step forward and one we hope will lead to a total ban on all seal products coming into the EU.” Said Mark Glover, Campaign Director for Respect for Animals. “It is 25 years since Europe banned the import of ‘whitecoat’ harp seal pups.  Canadian sealers now wait just a few days until these baby seals moult before killing them and sending their fur to Europe. The Canadian seal hunt is now worse than ever. It is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on the planet and it is time to close this loophole.”

The Commission announcement will be available to view live at:
http://europa.eu/press_room/index_en.htm
and is scheduled to take place at 11.30 am this morning (subject to confirmation).

According to the Commission’s website: ‘The aim of the proposed law on seals is to ensure that products derived from seals killed and skinned in ways that cause pain, distress and suffering are not found on the European market. The proposal also recommends banning the trading of seal products throughout the European Union.’

Mark Glover says “All commercial seal hunts are cruel and the people of Europe want the trade in their products banned – as whale products are banned. We hope that there will be no derogations included in this new proposal - only a complete ban will be acceptable.”

“The people of Europe and the European Parliament will accept nothing less than a total ban. We intend to close our borders to seal products completely to ensure the EU plays no role in perpetuating the cruelty of commercial seal hunts,” said Neil Parish, UK Conservative MEP and President of the European Parliament’s animal welfare intergroup.

The Canadian seal slaughter is opposed by the overwhelming majority of people in Britain. A poll carried out in 2007 showed 80% for an import ban of seal products and an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament that calls for an import ban has been signed by more than 100 MPs. 

Background: In 2006, Swedish Green MEP Carl Schlyter observed the Canadian commercial seal hunt with Humane Society International. The same year, he sponsored a Written Declaration in the European Parliament, calling for an EU ban on seal product trade. The Written Declaration was passed with the endorsement of 425 Members of the European Parliament, a record level of support. The European Commission has responded with a proposal to ban seal product trade in the European Union.

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