Šefčovič: “EU does not intend to reopen large-scale seal hunt”

Brussels – “The Commission does not intend to reopen large-scale commercial seal hunting, but rather to continue to ensure a good conservation status of the various seal species.” The executive’s line is clear, and the Commissioner for the Green Deal, Maros Šefčovič, states it just as clearly in answering a parliamentary question.

The EU is revising the regulation on trade in seal products and the seal pup directive, now ‘dated’ texts (from 2009 the former and 1989 the latter). This regulation review process – known as ‘Fitness Check’ – should result in updated legislation. Šefčovič stressed that there is no intention to reopen the seal hunting season, “subject to the outcomes” of the review of the state of adequacy of community regulations.

The EU intends to pursue the conservation policy for the various seal species “through the EU seal regime and other EU legislation such as the Habitats Directive,” Šefčovič added. The purpose of the directive, enshrined in Article 2, is to safeguard biodiversity through the conservation of natural habitats and wildlife with no hunting and no destruction of seal habitats. It is a policy priority that responds to explicit citizen demands. “The EU Seal Regime was indeed put in place to address primarily public moral concerns regarding the killing of seals, in particular seal pups.”