European Parliament urges Norway to stop whaling
Last week, a majority of the European Parliament has supported the Party for the Animals’ motion urging Norway to cease its commercial whaling operations. The EU also wants to ensure that whale meat is no longer transported to Japan through EU ports.
“The EU´s verdict puts additional pressure on Norway. Whaling is cruel and constitutes a danger to the existence of these magnificent creatures,” says MEP Anja Hazekamp (Party for the Animals).
Norway, Japan and Iceland refuse to uphold the global whaling ban that came into effect in 1986. Since the ban came into effect, Norway has killed over 13,000 whales, and plans on killing 999 more this year.
Party for the Animals MEP Anja Hazekamp and her colleagues take a stand against whaling
MEPs urge Norway to abide by the International Whaling Commission moratorium and to finally cease its whaling operations. The European Parliament cannot impose a legally binding ban, as Norway is not a member of the EU.
However, Brussels can make sure that Norwegian whale meat is no longer transported to Japan through European ports. Although the buying and selling of whale products is illegal in the EU, transporting whale meat through EU ports is still allowed. A loophole, and one that is eagerly exploited. For instance in October 2016, when just under 3,000 kilos of Norwegian whale meat was shipped to Japan through ports in Germany, France and Malta. Environmental organisations warn that the export of Norwegian whale meat is steadily rising.
The Party for the Animals, supported by the European Parliament, wants a total ban on the shipment of whale products through EU ports. “Whaling has been prohibited for over thirty years. Offering our help with the transport of whale products to countries that disregard international protection measures, is contradictory. A ban on transit will make the trade in whale products more difficult and thereby discourage whaling itself,” according to Party for the Animals MEP Anja Hazekamp.
Now that the European Parliament has supported the Party for the Animals’ proposal, it is up to the European Commission and the 28 EU member states to decide whether there will be an actual ban on transit of whale products.