Fisheries and Aquaculture
October 22, 2010
Newfoundland and
Labrador Pleased with Suspension of EU Seal Product Ban
The Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador is welcoming a favourable ruling from the European General
Court regarding a challenge to the European Union (EU) ban on seal
products. The challenge was brought forward by the Inuit Tapiriit
Kanatami (ITK) and the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC). The Provincial
Government provided $50,000 to support this legal challenge.
"It has always been the view of the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador that this ban is unfair and not
based on scientific evidence or sound conservation practices," said the
Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "We
were pleased to support representatives of the Canadian sealing industry
in bringing forward this court challenge. Clearly the ban is a violation
of international trade agreements."
On August 19, the European General Court
announced that it was temporarily suspending the implementation of the
ban on seal products, as an interim measure pending the outcome of the
legal challenge brought by the ITK and FIC. This week's court decision
confirms that the enforcement of the ban is temporarily suspended until
a final court ruling can be issued on the challenge by the two groups.
This means that the sale of seal products can continue under the
temporary suspension of the ban. This suspension will remain in effect
until the court has time to assess whether a continued suspension is
warranted to protect the sealing industry's interest during ongoing
court proceedings, which seek to overturn the European Parliament seal
product ban.
Minister Jackman recently returned from
Brussels, Belgium, as part of a trip to support the province's sealing
industry. As part of that trip he was briefed on the court challenge by
Stibbe, one of the legal firms representing the ITK and FIC in their
legal challenge. Also while in Brussels the minister met with the Vice
Chair of the Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament Struan
Stevenson, the Canadian Mission in Brussels and the EU Federation of
Associations for Hunting and Conservation.
The minister also recently met with the
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation on the Canadian
sealing industry while in Budapest, Hungary.
The Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador has also been working with provincial sealing industry
representatives on this legal action, including the Canadian Sealers
Association and seal processing companies throughout the province. As
well, the Provincial Government has been working in consultation with
the Nunatsiavut Government.
The Provincial Government is in the fifth
year of carrying out a communications strategy on the province's sealing
industry. Approximately $500,000 has been allocated to this strategy to
date.
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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
2010 10 22
4:45 p.m.
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