Animal Advocates Watchdog

Good News: European Parliament committee approved the proposal

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/02/business/EU-EU-Seal-Products.php

BRUSSELS: A European Parliament committee approved a proposal Monday
that would prevent EU countries from importing seal products - a blow
to Canada, which is home to the world's largest annual commercial seal
hunt.

Members of the parliament's internal market and consumer protection
committee's voted 25-7 to endorse a bill that would impose a tight ban
on the import of all seal products to the 27-nation bloc.

It grants a "limited" exemption for Inuit communities from Canada and
Greenland to continue to trade pelts, oils or meat derived from their
seal hunts "for cultural, educational, or ceremonial purposes."

The lawmakers endorsed a plan that branded the hunting of seals,
notably in Canada as "inherently inhumane," and called on the EU to
answer public demands for a ban on what many animal rights groups have
called a senseless slaughter.

To become law, the bill will still need the approval of the entire EU
assembly and EU governments, which could come as soon as April.

Nordic EU countries such as Denmark, Sweden and Finland have opposed
such a ban, and EU legal experts say it could violate world trade rules.

Canada and Greenland have warned the EU that they could challenge such
a ban before the World Trade Organization.

Monday's vote marked the latest step in a battle that has divided
lawmakers at the EU assembly over how to balance animal rights with
the rights of hunters.

The lawmakers also faced heavy lobbying in recent months from both
animal rights groups and authorities from Canada and Greenland.
Curbing the hunt of seals in Canada has been the focus of the bill
because of the size of its annual cull and the way seals are killed.

Canada's East Coast seal hunt is the largest of its kind in the world,
with an average annual kill of about 300,000 harp seals. It exported
around $5.5 million worth of seal products such as pelts, meat, and
oils to the EU in 2006.

Activists believe the hunt is cruel, poorly monitored and provides
little economic benefit once costs associated with policing and
supporting the hunt are factored in. However, sealers and Canadian
authorities say it is sustainable, humane and provides income for
isolated fishing communities.

Seals are also hunted in Namibia, Sweden, Finland and Russia.

Messages In This Thread

Good News: Canadian Senator may introduce legislation to end seal hunt
Bad News: Carries no legal obligation on government
Good News: EU to vote today on ban parameters
Rotten tomato award - Minister of Fisheries and Oceans defends "hard-working" sealers
That's how democracy works Jack!
Good News: European Parliament committee approved the proposal
Bad News: Exempts Inuit
The IMCO Opinion will go forward to plenary weeks from now
Please email your Senators *LINK*
In Response to seal hunt email campaign, government shuts down email servers *LINK*
Putin condemns hunting of baby seals
Re: Putin condemns hunting of baby seals
"It's a bloody industry." Putin condemns hunting of adult seals
Canadian senator makes futile bid to ban seal hunt

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