Brussels, 25/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - At its meeting on 18 June, the EU told the WTO dispute settlement body (DSB) that it will inform the DSB within 30 days, in writing, of the EU's intentions as regards implementing the ruling of the DSB on the complaint lodged by Canada and Norway against the European ban on seal products (see EUROPE 11086).
While the EU welcomed the appellate body's (AB) confirmation that the EU ban on seal products was justified on moral grounds, the EU regretted that the AB's finding that the exception for hunts conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities was not designed or applied in a manner consistent with the introductory text of Article XX of the GATT 1994.
Canada hailed the confirmation of its position by the AB and panel - a position according to which the EU's ban was incompatible with the obligations of a WTO member state. Canada was nevertheless disappointed that the AB and the panel concluded that the EU seal regime was necessary to protect public morals. Indeed, Canada believed that the AB's findings on public morals exceptions would ultimately set a negative precedent. Canada nonetheless noted that the AB found that the EU seal embargo was applied in a manner that constituted arbitrary discrimination.
Norway welcomed the AB's agreement with the panel that the European embargo was discriminatory and not justifiable. Norway was disappointed, however, that the AB did not reverse the panel's conclusion that the EU seal regime helped meet the specific public moral concerns of the EU. (EH)