Fur and skin trade: an update

THE following is an update on the world situation at present regarding the purchase of goods made from cat and dog fur or skin from China, by western countries.

In 2003 a motion calling for a ban of such trade by the EU was well supported and the Written Declaration 17/2003 was passed by a majority of Members of the European Parliament.

The EU Commissioners, however, took quite some time to deliberate and it wasn't until November 2006 that they felt able to put a proposition on this to the Council of Ministers and the Parliament, a delay of nearly three years. Both the Council and the Parliament had to agree and approve the precise wording.

There was, however, a worrying clause in the draft regulation presented by the Commission.

"Article 4 (Implementing Powers), Section 2. provisions which derogate from the prohibitions provided for in Article 1 for such fur or products containing such fur
– which is labelled as originating from cats or dogs that have not been bred or killed for fur production or
– which are personal or household effects being introduced into the Community, or exported therefrom."

The Council of Agriculture Ministers was not prepared to accept this blatant loophole and neither was the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. At a meeting on 11-12th April the Committee removed this cowardly loophole from the revised proposal which was then passed by the European Parliament in mid-June 2007.

The EU-wide ban will come into effect on 1st January 2009, allowing the individual member countries time to pass the necessary legislation at state level. There is little doubt that it will deal a severe blow to the Chinese dog and cat fur trade when it is finally in force, although until then dogs and cats will continue to be skinned alive for the European market.

Sadly, for reasons known only to themselves, the Parliament ignored the recommendation of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection to extend the protection to raccoon dogs. These animals will continue to have their skins torn from their living bodies to be sold as "faux fur" to unwitting European consumers even after 2009.

The trade in dog and cat fur is illegal in the USA, Australia and Switzerland. Within the European Union Italy, Belgium, Denmark, France and Greece have already established bans, and we look forward to such a ban soon being introduced throughout the entire 27 nation bloc.

It seems that in Britain the parliament has been marching on the spot rather than conducting a seek and destroy mission on this disgusting trade, but January 1, 2009 is the deadline. It is sad to see many countries waiting for the legal deadline rather than acting instantly to right a wrong. The wheels of justice do move slowly however, unless financial reward is the outcome of compliance!