Trapping standards deal at critical stage

Date: 29/05/1997

By Michael Mann

THE fate of the draft agreement between the EU, Russia and Canada on humane fur trapping standards hangs in the balance.

Diplomats preparing for next month's meeting of EU environment ministers say they cannot predict whether the deal will prove acceptable or whether the Union will be drawn into a costly trade war. “It really is too close to call. A lot will depend on the chemistry in the meeting. If a blocking minority starts to emerge, it could turn into a landslide,” said one official.

Agreement on humane trapping standards would allow the EU finally to adopt its 1991 regulation banning imports from countries which do not adhere to the tighter rules. A failure to agree would see the Union dragged before the World Trade Organisation.

But while an agreement has been finalised with Russia and Canada, severe problems remain over talks with the US, which is unwilling to accept the unconditional phase-out of steel-jaw leghold traps.

Since last December, when environment ministers asked for the initial deal to be tightened up, three central questions have been renegotiated: an exemption for indigenous people using wooden traps; a dispute settlement procedure; and the phase-out period for leghold traps.

Diplomats believe Washington may be biding its time to see what compromise the other two can strike with the EU before playing its final hand. But Commission officials stress that if a deal is concluded with Russia and Canada, the Union would adopt a list of countries exempted from the proposed import ban on furs. “At the moment, the US is not on this list.

Under EU rules, the clock would start ticking from that date, meaning an embargo would begin three months later,” warned one.

The final decision on the issue lies with environment ministers on 19-20 June. The UK and Austria are firmly opposed to the draft standards and will vote against. Sweden has so far withheld its support and Germany has been somewhat equivocal until now. Even though the Netherlands already has a unilateral import ban in place, as Council president it is forced to take a conciliatory line.

Animal welfare organisations are increasing the pressure on governments to reject the draft agreement. But representatives of the fur trade believe their opposition is misguided.

Deirdre Deady, European consultant to the International Fur Trade Federation, argues the deal is important above all because it will enforce uniform humane standards for the millions of animals trapped across the EU, where there are no standards at present. “The basic requirement for any standard is that it must be achievable. This deal will finally allow signatory states to move away from taking decisions on the basis of emotionally charged claims made by animal rights campaigners,” she said, adding: “This has nothing to do with animal welfare. They just want an end to the fur trade.”