Brussels, 08/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - The report on the trade in seal-derived products in Europe adopted by MEPs on Tuesday 8 September, lays out the conditions for introducing the products concerned onto the market following the recommendations by the European Commission and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The report by Cristian-Silviu Buºoi (EPP, Romania), adopted by a very large majority (631 votes for, 31 against, with 33 abstentions) therefore indicates that seal-derived products will only be authorised in cases where: - hunting corresponds to the cultural and identity practices of the indigenous group; - involves the subsistence of the group of hunters in the form of food or source of revenue; - that hunting is practised in “respect for animal welfare”.
In cases where hunting provides a commercial income to the hunters, MEPs propose that the Commission can adopt delegated acts to limit hunting-related trades. MEPs also highlighted the need to inform European citizens about seal-derived products to ensure their correct compliance with European legislation. Finally, they propose that every four years, member states submit a report to the Commission on progress relating to implementation of the regulation, which will help the latter to assess progress at a European level on a regular basis. The first deadline in this respect will be on 31 December 2016.
Last February, the European Commission adopted a communication to amend the so-called “basic” regulation No.1007/2009 in order to provide guidelines on the trade in seal-derived products. The latter introduced a number of delegations for products resulting from traditional hunting practised by Inuit and indigenous communities for “subsistence purposes “ (derogation CI) or the sustainable management of marine resources for nonprofitmaking and non-commercial purposes (derogation GRM) or when it involves the exclusive personal use of travellers or members of their family. Moreover, on 18 June 2014, the WTO's Disputes Settlement Body (DSB) examined complaints made by Canada and Norway (see EUROPE 11088) and regarding the EU system applied to seals and disapproved of the two derogations. With regard to the GRM derogation, the DSB ruled that the difference between commercial hunting and small-scale non-profit making hunting was too tenuous and the CI derogation consisted of “arbitrary and unjustifiable discrimination”. On 5 September that year, the EU, Canada and Norway, agreed on a 16-month deadline to implement the recommendations announced by the WTO. (Pascal Hansens)