The European Commission decided on Tuesday 17 December to register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) calling for an end to finning and an end to trade in sharks and rays.
The objective of the initiative is to “end the trade in fins in the EU, including the import, export and transit of fins other than if naturally attached to the animal’s body”.
The initiative specifically calls on the Commission to extend the scope of Regulation 605/2013 (on the removal of shark fins on board vessels) to allow trade in shark fins and rays in the EU only if these fins are “naturally attached” to the animal’s body.
At this stage of the procedure, the Commission did not analyse the initiative on its merits, but only decided on its legal admissibility. The registration of this initiative will take place on 2 January 2020, which will allow the organisers to launch, during the next 6 months, a process to collect supporting signatures for a period of 1 year. The Commission may decide whether or not to grant the request, but in either case it will be required to give reasons for its decision. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)