Raül Romeva i Rueda

REFLEXIONS PERISCÒPIQUES

Publicat el 5 de maig de 2009

‘Ban The Cruel Seal Trade’: he votat sí a la prohibició del comerç de productes derivats de la caça de foques

Ara fa un parell d’anys vaig ser un dels promotors de la Declaració Escrita que demanava aturar la massacre de foques (veure apunt Caça de foques al Canadà, mutilació genital femenina i d’altres Declaracions Escrites del Parlament Europeu ). Aquella Declaració va fer història, pel nombre de signatures recollides (elvadíssim) i pel convenciment que suposaria un punt d’inflexió en la cruenta i injustificada caça de milers de foques. Avui sóc un dels impulsors de l’informe a favor de prohibir el comerç de productes derivats de la foca. Avui, en la votació que tenim al Parlament Europeu, jo he votat SÍ a la prohibició d’aquest comerç, tal i com, per altra banda, reclamen ja més de 221.000 persones que s’han manifestat a través de www.bansealtrade.eu

Vote Yes! This Week—Ban the Trade in Seal Products in the EU

4th May 2009

It was more than four decades ago that the cruelty of commercial seal slaughters first made headlines in the European Union. As images of baby seals being clubbed and shot to death for their fur filtered into European media, many Europeans were horrified to learn that the EU was a major market for the products of this brutality. (segueix…)

Since that time, European citizens have consistently tried to end their trade in seal products. In the 1980s, a ban on trade in skins of newborn harp seals and hooded seal pups temporarily seemed to accomplish this goal—but sadly, the sealing industry circumvented the law by killing the baby seals when they were just a few days older.

Today, nearly one million seals are slaughtered annually in commercial seal kills around the world, and the products of those slaughters (primarily fur) are legally traded in the EU.

This week, MEPs have a historic chance to complete unfinished business and stop this trade in cruelty forever.

Nearly three years ago, 425 MEPs signed a Written Declaration calling upon the Commission to immediately introduce strong legislation to ban trade in seal products, with an exemption for products of subsistence Inuit hunts. At the same time, the Council of Europe passed its own resolution, urging its 46 Member States to promote initiatives aimed at banning the trade in seal products.

The Commission produced its proposal in July 2008 and, on 2nd March this year, the EP Internal Market and Consumer Protection committee (IMCO) voted overwhelmingly in favour of a full ban on seal product trade.

At the COREPER meeting on 27th March 2009, a clear qualified majority of member states declared their intention to support the proposal for a strong ban. On 24th April, COREPER agreed to conclude a first reading agreement with the European Parliament following successful trilogue negotiations, which resulted in a compromise text which MEPs will vote on during this plenary session.

Closing a Key Market

If the Parliament votes for the agreed-on proposal, it will close a key market for the global sealing industry, including for the Canadian commercial seal slaughter—the largest kill of marine mammals on the planet.

In doing this, the Parliament would echo the will of nine EU Member States (Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Slovenia, Luxembourg) which have already prohibited their trade in seal products or announced their intentions to do so. Moreover, it would join the United States, which banned trade in seal products in 1972, and Mexico and Croatia, which followed suit in 2006.

Package of Amendments

We are asking you to vote for the package of amendments signed by Arlene McCarthy (on behalf of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection), Diana Wallis (on behalf of ALDE Group), Malcolm Harbour (on behalf of the EPP-ED Group), Christel Schaldemose (on behalf of the PSE Group), Heide Ruhle (on behalf of the Greens/EFE Group) and Eva-Britt Svensson (on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group).

Unfortunately, some MEPs have put forward other amendments that would undermine the intent of the legislation, and we are asking you to vote against those amendments.

It is crucial that the vast majority of MEPs support the proposed amendments that have been agreed upon by the three EU institutions, and make history by achieving agreement in first reading.

The proposed legislation meets the expectations of millions of Europeans, MEPs, and a Qualified Majority of EU Member States, who all agree the only way to stop the cruelty is to stop these products from being placed on the EU market.

The world is watching; your vote is critical.

On behalf of what Europeans stand for, please end the cruelty. Vote for a strong prohibition on seal product trade!

MEPs! MAKE HISTORY: STOP THE TRADE. END THE CRUELTY.

Font foto: ban seals trade campaign



  1. Seal trade ban

    Greens welcome EU Parliament vote for seal trade ban

     

    Today in the European Parliament’s plenary session, an overwhelming majority of MEPs voted in favour of a ban on the commercial trade of seal products in the EU. (1)

     

    Raül Romeva joined his colleagues, Caroline Lucas, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament intergroup on animal protection and co-sponsor of a EP written declaration against the trade in seal products in 2006, Carl Schlyter, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament intergroup on animal protection, in  commenting:

     

    “I am delighted that Parliament has voted to ban the trade of seal products. By closing the door on fur and other seal products, Parliament has taken meaningful action to reduce the scale of cruel commercial seal killing across the world.

     

    The result pays tribute to the determination of all who persisted in demanding a ban when others said it was impossible. It goes to show that it is possible to galvanise political will and achieve positive results with the support of NGOs and the overwhelming balance of public opinion.

     

    Today’s vote marks a clear rejection of the draftswoman Diana Wallis’ approach. She was clearly out of step with public opinion and political will by calling for a label on seal products instead of a ban.”

     

    added:

     

    “I hope that the ban on the trade in seal products will save save hundreds of thousands of seals from being clubbed and shot under cruel conditions in Canada and elsewhere.

     

    Parliament’s vote is a victory against cruelty and a setback for the Swedish government which shamelessly presented itself as the EU’s most stubborn opponent of the ban.”

     

     

                                                                                                            *** ENDS***

     

    Notes to editors:


    (1) 550 votes in favour, 49 against, 41 abstentions.

     

  2. D.Raül Romeva i Rueda

    Muchas gracias por tu lucha para los que no tienen voz ni voto, espero que ésto sea el principio de un fin que tarda demasiado en llegar.  Saludos.

    Si quieres acabar con el asesinato de los animales hazte vegano, lo ganarás en salud y sobre todo en tú conciencia.

  3. GRACIES RAÜL PER HAVER CONTRIBUÏT A LA DECISSIÓ DEL PE DE PROHIBIR EL COMERÇ DE PRODUCTES DE FOCA AL UE !!!!

    GRACIES PER AJUDAR ALS QUE NO TENEN VEU PER EXIGIR ELS SEU DRET A LA VIDA !!!!

    GRACIES !!!!

  4. Gracias en nombre de los que no tienen voz y sufren las atrocidades de los seres humanos. Gracias por poner voz también a todos lo que día a día luchamos por el derecho básico de los animales a vivir sin ser torturados y masacrados.

    GRACIAS!!! 

  5. Mentrestant el Sr. Romeva vota sí a la prohibició del comerç de productes derivats de les foques al Parlament Europeu, a Vilanova i la Geltrú la Sra. Iolanda Sánchez Alcaraz, primera Tinent d’Alcalde, Presidenta de la comissió informativa Ciutat sostenible i Participació i Regidora de Governança, Participació i Medi ambient, també d’ICV, ha tancat la gossera de Vilanova i la Geltrú, traslladant els animals a la gossera de Vilafranca del Penedès, on encara sacrifiquen animals, on no deixen entrar cap tipus de voluntariat i on no hi ha cap mena de control extern.

    Quina llàstima.

    Salut.

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