The sealing industry is a bloody affair, with the vast majority of public voices coming out against it. Though in Canada, it is seen by many as an important export, most of the world has refused to condone the practice.
In a CBC report, it was stated that “The WTO, while finding that the EU's so-called Seal Regime had violated international trade agreements, has determined that the ban was valid because of a controversial public morals clause.”
The panel that made the ruling noted that “The panel found however that the EU Seal Regime does not violate Article 2.2 of the [Technical Barriers to Trade] Agreement because it fulfils the objective of addressing EU public moral concerns on seal welfare to a certain extent, and no alternative measure was demonstrated to make an equivalent or greater contribution to the fulfilment of the objective.”
The Canadian government immediately announced that they will begin an appeal against the decision.
APFA is celebrating this as a victory and will bring you more in the December 2 edition of Defender Radio.
