http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080701.wsealhunt0701/BNStory/International/home

Protesters at EU headquarters target seal hunts
The Associated Press

July 1, 2008 at 10:05 AM EDT

BRUSSELS — About 250 anti-seal hunt protesters rallied outside the European Union headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday.

The protesters were demanding that the 27-country EU impose a ban on imports of any seal products from Canada and five other countries that have annual sea kills.

Tuesday's demonstration coincided with the opening of the seal season in Namibia.

The EU is under pressure from animal-rights groups and legislators at the European Parliament to take action over the seal kill, which they say is cruel and inhumane.

The activists have called for a total ban that would affect Canada, which has the world's largest commercial hunt, Russia, Namibia and Greenland as well as EU members Finland and Sweden.

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas is expected to propose a partial ban. It would prohibit the sale of products from seals that the EU determines have been killed inhumanely or taken in ways that it considers not sustainable.