Tough talks ahead in battle over traps ban

Date: 27/03/1997

By Michael Mann

JUNE now looks like being the final deadline for a solution to the protracted battle over the EU's proposed ban on the import of furs caught using 'inhumane' traps.

But the European Commission faces several more rounds of painful negotiation with the US, Canada and Russia before EU environment ministers decide whether to accept whatever deal is struck, at their meeting on 19-20 June.

Commission negotiators are still trying to reach a new compromise with the Russians and Canadians, after Union ministers told them in December that they could not accept the framework the three sides had already initialled.

Ottawa says it is prepared to continue negotiations, but officials warn it will not accept any deal which restricts Canadian exports. “We thought we had concluded our talks and were not particularly happy when people came along saying there needed to be changes. But we are continuing to talk to them and our bottom line is to ensure our exports are not restricted.

If they are, we will go to the World Trade Organisation,” said a Canadian diplomat.

Three key issues remain to be settled: EU ministers' demands for stricter phase-out dates for steel jaw leghold traps; improvements in the envisaged dispute settlement procedures; and what dispensations should be made for aboriginal peoples.

“These are the minimum improvements needed to get a deal through the Council of Ministers in June,” said a senior Commission source.

But problems with the US are even more serious. So far, the Commission has been unable to persuade Washington to accept the basic framework worked out with the other two countries. The US wants to preserve the right to continue using leghold traps if no viable alternative can be developed.

Even if the Commission can win key concessions over the next three months, no one is willing to predict how Union governments will react, given that differences remain between the views of trade ministries and environment ministries within individual member states.

At the last meeting of environment ministers, the UK, Austria and Sweden led calls for tighter regulation of trapping standards, including a total phase-out of jaw-type leghold traps in the year 2000.

Italy and Germany appear to hold the key to the final vote. Both have some doubts about the framework in its current form, but could change their minds if adjustments are made.

In theory, the import ban on furs from countries not party to an international agreement on humane trapping standards should have been in place from the start of this year. But the Commission has yet to bring in the secondary legislation necessary to implement it.

“We simply cannot put the ban into place while we are still negotiating. That would mean the end of the talks. We still believe we can achieve a good deal which will mean a major improvement in welfare,” said one official.