Mark Glover, Respect for Animals

Each year hundreds of thousands of seals are killed in countries such as Canada and Namibia for their fur and many of the products of these hunts are imported into the EU.

On 23 July 2008 the European Commission introduced a draft proposal to ban the import of and trade in seal products throughout the EU.

The seal campaign has been a priority for both LAWS and Respect for Animals and so this news was welcomed – with the condition that the ban will be watertight.

The Commission’s proposal is a fantastic step forward and could lead to a total ban on all seal products coming into the EU. 

According to the Commission’s website; ‘The aim of the proposed law on seals is to ensure that products derived from seals killed and skinned in ways that cause pain, distress and suffering are not found on the European market. The proposal also recommends banning the trading of seal products throughout the European Union.’

However, the first draft of the proposal contains derogations (loopholes), which could allow the products from some hunts to still be traded.  It is our view that all commercial seal hunts are inherently cruel and research shows that the people of Europe want the trade in all seal products banned - as whale products are banned. Such a ban is long overdue.

Much work still needs to be done to ensure that the final legislation is robust and that any loopholes are closed. The proposal is now in the hands of MEPs and the Council of Ministers.

Please write to your MEP asking them to support a TOTAL ban on all seal products and to reject any derogations that could end up legitimising some hunting practises.

It is very important that the UK throws its weight behind a complete ban on the trade in all seal products.

You can also raise the issue by writing to the UK Minister, urging him to support only a complete ban: Gareth Thomas MP, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET.