26 March 2008 - This week (28th March) marks the start of the annual Canadian seal hunt, and 25 years since the EU first adopted legislation to ban the import of products from the very youngest harp and hooded seals.

Green MEP for the South East of England Dr Caroline Lucas has campaigned for many years to bring an end to the violent slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seals every year for fur and oils sold in the EU - often to unsuspecting consumers.

Today, Dr Lucas said: “The existing legislation on seal imports is simply ineffective: imports continue to enter the EU. An estimated 275,000 seal pups are due to be slaughtered over the coming weeks in Canada, and thousands more will be killed later this year in Russia and Namibia.

“Despite the efforts of MEPs and the public, the Commission has ultimately failed to act.

“I will therefore continue to press Commissioner Dimas to bring forward a proposal to ban the trade in seal products at the earliest opportunity, and to ensure that the draft legislation is prioritised for swift adoption by the European Parliament and Council, before the start of next year’s Canadian seal hunt.”

In 2006, Dr Lucas gained the support of 425 fellow MEPs for her Written Declaration which called for an end to the trade in seal products - at the time, this was the highest ever level of support given to a Written Declaration.

ENDS