The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador today called on the Government of Canada to start preparing for trade action against the European Union (EU) in the event that the EU adopts regulations that ban the importation of seal products. It is anticipated that the European Parliament will soon bring forward regulations that would implement such a ban.

"The proposed regulations are a serious threat to the economic viability of the Canadian sealing industry," said the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Acting Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "The regulations are based on policy that is ill-informed, ill-advised and against international trade obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO)."

"The Government of Canada�s intentions to initiate trade action should be clearly communicated to decision-makers in the EU," said Minister Taylor. "Surely, this would cause members of the European Parliament to think twice before passing such regulations."

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has written the Federal Government on these proposed regulations and asked that they prepare to take trade action against the European Union in the event of adoption of the regulations. "We found that the response of the Government of Canada was at best non-committal, indecisive and showed a clear lack of a plan for dealing with this issue that is so important to thousands of sealers and their families in coastal communities," said the minister.

The Williams Government has been corresponding with the Federal Government since April 2007 requesting that it initiate trade action against Belgium and the Netherlands, under the WTO. In response to a ban on the importation and marketing of seal products in those countries, Canada has held consultations with both countries as the first step in the process of launching of a WTO trade challenge. "We view this as a muted response at best and it is certainly not serving as a deterrent against the EU implementing a ban of its own," said Minister Taylor. "More timely action is required. Furthermore, the Government of Canada should be moving forward in a decisive manner."

"We also understand that the Canadian Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation is proposing the implementation of a committee of government and industry to address the proposed EU regulations," said the minister. "While our province is willing to participate in the committee and provide input, the Federal Government must not forget that the livelihood of thousands of Canadians is at risk here."

There are over 6,000 individuals working in the sealing industry in Newfoundland and Labrador alone. Sealers have stated that up to 35 per cent of their annual income is from the sealing industry. The 1983 European Economic Community ban on the importation of whitecoats and bluebacks reduced the total Inuit income in Labrador alone by one-third.

"Our government believes that it is critical that the Federal Government achieve results on this issue," said Minister Taylor. "It is a matter that needs to be taken very seriously and demands decisive and forceful action."

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Media contact:
Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca