Iceland to join Canada and Norway seal ban challenge

Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, sent out a statement April 11, praising the Icelandic government for its decision to join Canada and Norway in challenging the European Union’s trade ban on seal products before a World Trade Organization dispute panel.

“I congratulate the government of Iceland for its principled stand that recognizes the economic hardship that will result should the EU seal ban continue,” Simon said. “And I wholeheartedly agree with Iceland’s position that the EU legislation is a huge step backward for sustainable development and international trade.”

In an April 7 meeting with the WTO, Iceland asked to participate in the dispute panel as a third party, Iceland’s daily newspaper Fréttabladid said.

Canada won the right March 25 to have its grievance against the EU ban on seal products heard through the WTO’s dispute settlement system.

Canada had requested the establishment of a WTO panel to examine the seal product ban, which came into effect last year in the EU’s 27-member nations.

The European Parliament, dismissing Canada’s argument that the hunt is humane, voted by a margin of 550 to 49 to impose its seal ban in May 2009.

Since then, several rounds of trade consultations through the trade organization have failed to resolve the dispute.