Federal Government protracts trade ban for seal products

The EU Environmental Commissioner Dimas had himself recommended national bans to the EU member states. Only as many national bans as possible could confine the trade and could – in the end – bring about an EU-wide ban. Because of this, Germany should finally follow Belgium’s, Slovenia’s and the Netherlands’ example. They have already introduced trade bans.

“What more than all votes of the German Bundestag does the Federal Government need” Dr. Ralf Sonntag, director of IFAW Germany asks. “It is a scandal that single ministries and Federal Chancellor Merkel ignore the will of the elected Parliament and push the responsibility towards the EU. The seals can not wait for an EU regulation as the next hunting season will begin in spring.”

According to an Infratest public-opinion poll initiated by IFAW, 75,8% of the German citizens support a national trade ban.

In order to remind the Federal Government of their obligation with the Bundestag, IFAW has adverts in three German daily newspapers tomorrow – on the anniversary of the Bundestag’s resolution. The adverts were developed by the Hamburg advertising agency Springer & Jacoby for IFAW free of charge.