Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001578/2024/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Emma Fourreau (The Left)
A fitness check of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 on trade in seal products has caused concern amongst many citizens who care about animal welfare.
The 1983 and 2009 regulations, which banned the sale of seal products (meat, skin, fat, pelt) on the EU market, were adopted with the support of the public, who were shocked by the cruelty shown to such a vulnerable marine mammal. This ban deprived the seal industry of its main consumer: commercial hunting in Canada fell by 90%, saving the lives of millions of seals.
The reasons behind the ban, as detailed in the recitals of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009, remain relevant. Furthermore, seals today are particularly vulnerable to the effects of overfishing and climate breakdown that are threatening their habitat.
Citizens have well-founded concerns about the pressure that the hunting industry and industrial fishing interest groups could exert to relax regulations and decrease the protections afforded to the seal population.
- 1.Will the Commission reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the ban on the trade in seal products and promoting the strict protection of seals?
- 2.Can the Commission say how far the assessment has progressed, and when we will know the results?
Submitted: 2.9.2024