C/P The
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW – www.ifaw.org)
(Brussels, Belgium) -
The
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW – www.ifaw.org) has welcomed a key European
Parliament vote in favor of a ban on the import of seal products to the
EU.
MEPs from the IMCO (Internal
Market and Consumer Protection) Committee, today voted overwhelmingly in favor
of a ban on the trade in seal products without any derogations, and with the
only exemption for products from traditional Inuit seal hunts.
The 25:7 majority vote defeats
plans for a proposed labeling system put forward by the IMCO rapporteur, UK
Liberal MEP Diana Wallis.
IFAW opposes Canada’s commercial seal hunt because
it is cruel and unnecessary, with more than a quarter of a million seals clubbed
or shot each year primarily so their fur can be used by the fashion
industry.
Along with other groups, IFAW has
been campaigning for an outright ban on the import of seal products from
commercial hunts to close vital markets and send an important message to the
Canadian government that EU citizens want no part in this cruelty.
Lesley O’Donnell, Director of
IFAW EU, said: “We welcome this vote as an important step on the path to
achieving an outright ban on seal products from commercial hunts.”
“We were concerned that a
labeling system was unworkable and feel that an outright ban is the only way
forward. The majority of European citizens are against the cruelty of commercial
seal hunting and an outright ban will reflect this.”
Seal trade bans already exist in
the EU in Belgium, the
Netherlands and
Slovenia with other Member
States poised to bring in legislation, while Canada’s major trading partners in NAFTA – the
US and Mexico – also
ban seal imports.
In a few short
weeks, Canada’s commercial
seal hunt will begin off the east coast of Canada. Last
year, more than 217,000 harp seals were killed, 99.8% of which were under 3
months of age.
The proposed EU ban is set to go
before the whole European Parliament on April 2.
For media-related inquiries, contact:
Barbara Slee (IFAW, UE Political Officer)
Tel: +32 (0) 475 86 78 34
Mobile: +32 (0) 2 282 06 97
Email: bslee@ifaw.org
Resumen en Español:
La EU a dado un
paso importante para detener la cacería Inhumana de Focas en Canadá Poniendo a votación
Una legislación que Prohibirá La
Importación de Productos derivados de Focas, esta ley se impondría
en los 27 Estados pertenecientes a la Unión Europea.
Recientemente se rechazo la
Propuesta de solo etiquetar las Pieles donde se Advirtiera de
su Procedencia se rechazo la propuesta 27 en contra 7 a favor, esta derrota da
esperanzas de que se logre prohibir definitivamente la importación de productos
de foca definitivamente a los 27 de la
EU.
Solo 2 Estados se han opuesto a esta legislación Suecia, Dinamarca y
Finlandia ya que en estos también se practica la cacería de focas.
Los Principales socios de el TLC (tratado de libre comercio) con Canadá México
y EE.UU. ya tienen Prohibida la
Importación de Productos de Foca en el Caso de EE.UU. esta
tiene Prohibida la Importación
desde 1972.
Se espérala resolución definitiva el 2 de Abril de este Año.
