European Union bans the trade of seal products

[+Green Blog]

Today the European Parliament voted 550 to 49 in favour to ban the trade of all seal products (such as fur and omega-3) within the European Union. The new EU-wide legislation is meant to send a clear signal to Canada that their annual commercial slaughter of seals is “inherently inhumane.”

View the full article

[mountainhiker]

The new ban will come with exceptions for Inuit communities and other indigenous peoples from Canada and Greenland which will be allowed to continue their traditional hunts. But they are not allowed to participate in any large-scale trade of seal products within EU.

ban on seal product imports.

You just have to wonder if this is not a lot of grandstanding, chest pounding BS. There is no definition of "seal products" and you have to wonder if there are any. Then they have a exception that you could drive an 18 wheeler thru. I note also that there is no definition of large-scale trade so as long as they do it on a SMALL scale they can get a way with it <_<

[Simon]

You just have to wonder if this is not a lot of grandstanding, chest pounding BS. There is no definition of "seal products" and you have to wonder if there are any. Then they have a exception that you could drive an 18 wheeler thru. I note also that there is no definition of large-scale trade so as long as they do it on a SMALL scale they can get a way with it

You can read more about that here.

The placing on the market of seal products should not be allowed say MEPs. It is permitted only where the seal products result from hunts traditionally conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities. Otherwise the import is permitted where it is of an occasional nature and consists exclusively of goods for the personal use of the travellers.

Furthermore it is allowed to place on the market products that result from by-products of hunting [and] conducted for the purpose of sustainable management of marine resources on a non-profit basis.

Conditions for placing on the market

The placing on the market of seal products shall be allowed only where the seal products result from hunts traditionally conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities and which contribute to their subsistence. These conditions shall apply at the time or point of import for imported products.

Eventually it will come down to each member state to come up with the rules and penalties. And it is here where the new law can be softened.

[oraclemay]

Well, at least something is being done. This means that there is some headway being made. Although I agree that it is not enough yet, it is moving along even though it seems to be at a snail's pace. We hope that there will be a complete ban before we experience too many fatalities that could result in extinction.