Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 13 • Number 14 • 22nd April 2009
Norway Threatens WTO Suit if EU Bans Seal Imports
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Norway has said it will bring a WTO challenge against the European Union if the bloc moves ahead with a proposed ban on trade in seal products. Environmentalists, who claim that the seal hunt is inherently cruel and inhumane, have long fought for such a prohibition.
“The Norwegian government has decided to initiate consultations under the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding, should the EU take a decision along the lines that now seems to be developing,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre wrote in a letter to EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton. A copy of the letter was obtained by Reuters, which reported on it on Monday.
“In our view, the proposal cannot be justified under the WTO,” Støre added.
“A ban on trade in seal products will set a dangerous precedent in the matter of sustainable harvesting of renewable resources,” Støre wrote.
Seal pelts are primarily used in the fashion industry in China, Norway and Russia, while seal blubber is used as oil and the meat is consumed. The EU imported US$5.5 million worth of seal products in 2006.
A committee of European lawmakers voted in March in favour of a proposed ban on all seal imports into the EU, on the grounds that the hunt is inhumane. The move provoked a strong reaction from the Canadian government, which threatened WTO action against the embargo (see Bridges Weekly, 11 March 2009, http://ictsd.net/i/news/bridgesweekly/42795/).
This week, Norway followed suit.
But the ban, which would prohibit the import, export, and transport of any seal products throughout the 27-nation EU, still faces some hurdles to implementation. The full European Parliament was to vote on the proposed embargo on 1 April, but that has now been pushed to the end of the month; EU governments also have to approve the measure before it takes effect.
In March, the European Parliament committee voted down a proposed exemption from the ban for countries that had proved to the EU that their hunts were conducted in a humane manner. The lawmakers determined that commercial seal hunts are “inherently inhumane” and effective monitoring of the practice is “impossible.”
But the committee upheld an exemption for seals hunted by Inuit communities, but only if the products are traded “as part of a non-commercial exchanges between Inuit communities for cultural, educational or ceremonial purposes.”
Russia imposed its own seal ban last month, outlawing the hunting of harp seals less than one year old.
“This bloody hunting is from now on banned in our country,” Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at the time. This is an important measure to preserve Russia’s biodiversity.”
ICTSD reporting; “Norway threatens action if EU bans seal products,” REUTERS, 20 April 2009; “Canada seal hunt begins amid controversy,” HUFFINGTON POST, 23 March 2009; “Russia’s seal-hunt ban pushes Canada further into isolation,” NATIONAL POST (Canada), 18 March 2009.
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I once believed Russian citizens were intelligent,
but not anymore, reason being,Prime Minister v.Putin
thinks it’s all right to slaughter seals over one
year hold.
Let’s have respect for what the Creator has given us
to enjoy and share the world with, instead of thinking
it’s o.k. to kill animals and destroy forests, waters,
and air for our stupid human wants. The Creator had
given humans all kinds of food..nuts, fruits, seeds,
vegetables,beans, grains- maybe an egg or two on the
side, and a little fish - What a healthy species we
humans would be. I believe Mother Nature will take
very good care of us then. You see - the more we
hurt animals the more we will suffer - in health and
in Mother Nature’s devastating draughts, storms,
earthquakes, and plauges. WE MUST RESPECT MOTHER
NATURE AN ALL HER INHABITANTS - I believe all the
humans that do not live in harmony with nature and
animals should have to go (die off) and this would
decrease human population then there will be plenty
for the humble that deserve.In respect to laboratory
animals….. this should never be. To study the
illnesses and cures for humans by torturing GOD’s
beautiful innocent animals is insane,there are altern-
atives. Humans have lost all their reasoning, common-
sence and wisdom. It was thru a simian who, without
my being aware, restored the goodness seen within me
that put my life back into proper perspective, and
from three little words- commonsense, reasoning, and
wisdom.