EU:As MEPs appealed to the European Commission to introduce an EU-wide ban on trade in seal fur, EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas confirmed he had ordered a study to determine if seal hunting was conducted in a humane manner.
The MEPs have expressed concern that such a study could seriously delay the introduction of a ban. Mr Dimas rejected calls for an immediate moratorium on the import of seal fur products, saying this was not legally possible.
At a press conference in Strasbourg to highlight the issue, Britain's Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas accused the commission of stalling on the introduction of a ban.
Supporters are particularly concerned about animal rights abuses reported to have taken place during the annual Canadian seal hunt.
A European Parliament declaration in September last year, which called for an EU-wide ban on seal products, was adopted by MEPs at the time. "Despite a clear demand from the parliament last year and a growing number of bans in EU member states, the commission has failed to commit to proposing an EU ban," Ms Lucas said. "Instead, it is proposing to carry out a study, at the expense of the EU taxpayer, to establish if a ban is necessary.
"Given that studies have already been carried out highlighting the brutality of the annual seal hunt, it is difficult to see why the commission needs to carry out another study. Such an analysis would take at least a year and only then could a proposal be drafted - meaning the co-decision legislative process might not begin until perhaps the beginning of the hunt in 2009. "
Sweden's Green Party MEP Carl Schlyter, who visited the annual seal hunt in Canada last year, said the decision to undertake a study was a waste of time and money. Over the past four years, more than 1.5 million seals had been killed for their fur, almost all of whom were under three months of age, he said. "There is clear evidence that commercial seal hunting is a brutal and cruel practice, which targets seal pups only a few weeks old.
"Delaying the introduction of an EU ban will, therefore, lead to the unnecessary brutal killing of thousands of seals . . . an EU ban on seal products would be a crucial step towards ending this barbaric cull."