EU Strengthens Trade Ban on Cruel Seal Hunt Products, Sends Strong Moral Message to Canada & Norway
(firmenpresse) - MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 09/08/15 -- The European Parliament has voted to strengthen the EU ban on trade in cruel commercial seal hunt products, finally seeing off years of legal challenges by Canada and Norway. The ban was introduced in 2009 following public outrage at the cruelty involved in seal hunts, including seals as young as three months old drowning with gunshot wounds, and being bludgeoned to death. But seal hunt nations Canada and Norway have attempted to overturn the ban ever since in a series of legal challenges that have been largely rejected by the courts.
MEPs voted today to delete the so-called 'Marine Resources Management' exception and to make minor modifications to the Indigenous Communities exception. The changes aim to bring the EU ban into full compliance with the World Trade Organisation which, in response to the latest legal challenge, upheld the EU's right to ban the trade on public morality grounds, but determined that the exemptions to the ban violated WTO principles.
Humane Society International is one of the leading animal welfare organisations that campaigned to achieve the historic 2009 EU ban. Rebecca Aldworth, HSI Canada executive director, says:
"In the 17 years I have observed Canada's commercial seal slaughter, I have witnessed extreme suffering that no thinking, compassionate person could ever tolerate. By banning its trade in commercial seal products, the European Union has already helped to save more than two million baby seals from a horrible fate. Today's decision shows the tremendous resolve of the EU to never again provide a financial incentive for the continuation of this atrocity."
The changes now only require approval by the Council of Ministers, but as the text has already been approved by a qualified majority of Member States, this is merely a 'rubberstamping' exercise.
FACTS:
Humane Society International/Canada is a leading force for animal protection, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammal preservation, farm animal welfare and animals in research. HSI/Canada is proud to be a part of Humane Society International which, together with its partners, constitutes one of the world's largest animal protection organizations. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide - on the Web at
Contacts:
Christopher Pare
o: 514 395-2914
c: 438 402-0643
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Datum: 08.09.2015 - 14:57 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 418550
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