Austria Bans Seal Product Imports

23 April 2007 - Reported in New Europe, Issue : 726

Austrian Parliament on April 20 passed a motion to ban the sale of seal skins. The votes of all five parties were represented and a broad consensus across the political spectrum was achieved in the vote, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported.

Germany moves to ban seal imports

Feb 26, 2007 01:23 PM

HALIFAX – Animal welfare groups in Canada are declaring a major victory in their battle with Ottawa over the East Coast seal hunt.

Earlier today, Germany's agriculture minister said he will introduce a national ban on imports of seal products.

Horst Seehofer said he has repeatedly urged the European Union to prohibit imports of seal products, but has grown tired of waiting for action.

The Humane Society of the United States says the proposed ban will eliminate 20 per cent of Canada's market for unprocessed seal pelts.

The annual hunt took about one million seals between 2003 and 2005, and the quota was set at 325,000 last year.

The Canadian government insists the spring hunt is humane and sustainable, but animal welfare groups have long called for a ban because they believe it is a cruel slaughter.

Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn wasn't immediately available for comment.

The hunt mainly produces harp seal pelts that are used in the fur and fashion industries, mostly in Europe.

The EU Commission in January rejected appeals for an EU-wide ban, arguing that a 1983 EU law that imposes limited bans on the import of fur taken from seal pups "provides adequate response" to concerns presented by the European Parliament.

Earlier this month, the British government said it would press its EU neighbours to introduce an import ban.

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