News of the EU proposal is getting out and we’re not the only ones excited. At "On Loving Animals..." Chessbuff writes:

The latest good news is that the European Commission reacted by adopting a proposal to ban most trade in seal products within the European Union. If this ban goes into effect, the seal hunters of Canada will lose a big chunk of their market. We're talking death knell here, but we should be guardedly optimistic about this ban. It ain't over until its over.

At "EcoWorldly," Levi Novey writes:

This proposed ban is no small deal. Even International Rock God Paul McCartney has publicly stated he is an advocate of the ban, and that Canada’s seal hunt is a “stain” on Canada. He made these remarks several weeks prior to playing at a concert in Canada that took places several days ago.
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Canada’s government has subsequently reacted with anger to the European Union’s proposal, saying that they will impose trade sanctions on the EU if the proposed ban passes muster and becomes law... This past September, Canada also made a complaint to the World Trade Organization. The Netherlands and Belgium have banned seal products and Canada claims that these bans break trade laws.
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CNN writes that "the ban recommends a certificate and labels be provided by countries exporting seal products making clear seal products they trade meet strict EU conditions." Hmm... a certificate and label will be needed. Am I the only person that thinks this sounds like a lackluster strategy for ensuring that seals are killed humanely?

Here are some other reactions:

At "Unambiguously Ambidextrous," Raphael Alexander writes:

Another strike from the hot progressive iron. Hunting, the primary human evolutionary prowess next to gathering, is now considered "cruel" and "unnecessary". In one fell and ignorant swoop, the EU casts aspersions on the hunting practices of Canadians and Inuit who have invested hundreds and thousands of years in careful and meticulous perfection of their craft. Although the EU has said it would make "special allowances" on traditional Inuit sealers, it has yet to explain what a European standard for humane killing would entail. Not that it likely matters to those pressuring the EU, namely the animal rights activists who call it "cruel, unsustainable and unnecessary".

At "Bond Papers," Edward G. Hollett writes:

In response to a proposed European ban on seal products owing to the inhumane killing methods, Canadian sealers are considering penning the animals in cages and force feeding them boiled corn meal laced with fat, a practice to which EU legislators can turn a blind eye.

Relax. They aren't. But they should given the Europeans' collective ability to wag their fingers at others while doing as they wish themselves.

And finally, the UK government has come out in support of the proposed EU ban:

The UK has urged the EU to prohibit the import of sealskin products as the only effective way to stop inhumane hunting methods around the world.
Trade Minister Gareth Thomas said: "The UK has pressed hard for a European ban on trade in sealskin products and this proposal is welcome news. "Cruel and inhumane seal hunting is unacceptable ... We will now examine the details of the Commission's plans, to ensure that they can make a real difference."
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Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said: "I welcome this proposed ban; we have lobbied in the past to promote EU-wide action and this outcome is an important step forward."

"EU moves to ban seal products derived from 'cruel hunting'," from CBC

In a long-awaited decision that may have significant consequences for Canadian sealers, the European Union on Wednesday moved to ban imports of products derived from seals that are inhumanely killed.
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"European politicians are doing for Canadians what our own politicians will not — that is, listen to the majority opposition to this cruel, unsustainable and unnecessary hunt," said Sheryl Fink, an Ontario-based researcher with the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

"Proposed seal pelt ban welcomed by animal rights groups," from The National Post

Animal rights groups are applauding a European Commission move to adopt proposals to ban the import of pelts from seals. But they also say the move falls short of what they want to see since it allows exemptions for products obtained from seal hunts that can show seals did not suffer unnecessarily.
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[Spokeswoman for IFAW in Ottowa] Sheryl Fink said closing the European markets to seal products should give the Canadian government a serious wake-up call. "This proposal shows that the European Commission is concerned about the cruelty inherent in commercial seal hunts, and understands the importance of animal welfare for European citizens," Ms. Fink said. But Ms. Fink said the proposed ban falls short of what IFAW wants to see.

"EU proposes import ban on seal products to protest inhumane hunt," from The Associated Press

The plan announced Wednesday covers hunts worldwide, but focuses on Canada because of claims by anti-hunt campaigners that it is the cruelest. Canadian seal hunters use spiked clubs or hakapiks and rifles to kill seals.
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The proposal followed a campaign by animal rights groups and wrangling within the European Commission about how far it could go without sparking a complaint to the World Trade Organization by Canada and other hunting nations.

"EU seeks to halt cruelty to seals," from the BBC

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas called for a ban on seal products obtained through "cruel hunting methods", which he called "repugnant".
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The Commission says it is addressing concerns expressed by the European Parliament and the general public "that seals are being killed and skinned using practices that unnecessarily inflict pain and suffering".

"EU executive moves to limit cruelty of seal hunts," from Reuters

The animal welfare group IFAW welcomed the move, but a spokesman said that anything short of a full ban would be difficult to monitor or enforce.
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[Environment Commissioner Stavros] Dimas said about a third of the trade in seal products made its way through the 27-state EU en route to their final markets, making EU rules a powerful tool in controlling the trade.

"EU Proposes Partial Ban on Seal Products," from Deutsche Welle

The main target country of the ban is Canada, where hunters slaughtered some 275,000 seals along the Atlantic coast this year.
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French actress-turned-animal-activist Brigitte Bardot, who has led a campaign against the killing of seals, regretted that "slaughters will continue as long as they are done in a humane way." But Bardot, who has made headlines in the past few years for supporting ultra-right politicians in France, was still happy about the plan ... French President Nicolas Sarkozy has reportedly assured Bardot that "everything would be done" during the French presidency of the European Union to adopt a law banning imports of seal products in the EU.

"Brussels plans to ban seal trading," from Financial Times

“The people of Europe and the European Parliament will accept nothing less than a total ban,” said Neil Parish, a UK Conservative MEP who is president of the Euopean Parliament’s animal welfare group.

"Seal products ban doesn't go far enough," from The Edinburgh Evening News

Lothians-based Labour Euro-MP David Martin has warned European plans for a trade ban on seal products do not go far enough. And he said only a complete ban would satisfy the people of Europe. Mr Martin, Scotland's longest serving Euro-MP and a former animal rights campaigner, said “ ... I am pleased that the European Commission has at long last come forward with proposals for a ban in the trade in seal products. However, the proposals do not go far enough and are open to abuse...”
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He said a recent opinion poll in Canada found an overwhelming majority – 86 per cent – of Canadians said the EU should be allowed to restrict trade in seal products. Mr Martin said: "Let there be no more blood on the ice – only a complete ban will do.”

"N.S. fisheries minister says he'd like to see province's grey seal hunt expanded," from The Canadian Press

A day after the European Union introduced a proposal to ban the import of seal products, Nova Scotia's fisheries minister says he'd like to see the hunt expanded in his province. Ron Chisholm says he believes Canada's hunting methods are humane and he supports any effort by Ottawa aimed at getting the European Union to dump the proposed ban.
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Nova Scotia has a yearly quota of 12,000 grey seals, but hunters have rarely taken more than a few hundred annually.

This update was sent over by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Seal Communications Officer, Katie McConnell.

Almost two years after the European Parliament drafted a resolution calling for a ban on seal products, we’ve seen the next step necessary for a European-wide ban. Today, the European Commission has announced a proposed ban on the import of seal products into European ports. Although this measure indeed signifies that the European public wants no part of Canada’s seal hunt, the existing legislation is worded in such a way that could allow seal products from this inherently cruel hunt to still find their way into markets.

The proposed ban in its current form allows exemptions from hunts which meet certain standards of “humaneness.” However, Canada’s commercial hunt, which is the largest hunt for marine mammals in the world occurs in such unpredictable conditions that it is impossible for this hunt to ever become humane. The IFAW team is just as determined as ever to take to the ice next spring to show the world that this hunt cannot be humane or regulated. Only a complete EU ban on seal products will prevent seal skins from this and other cruel hunts from entering the European Union. We hope that the Parliament will echo the wishes of the European people and insist that a total ban is passed and made into law.

EU-commissaris voor Milieu Stavros Dimas, heeft bekend gemaakt dat de Europese Commissie voornemens is een Europees handelsverbod in zeehondenproducten in te voeren. Het IFAW verwelkomt behoedzaam dit verbod en ziet het als een potentiële mijlpaal in de campagne die zij al jarenlang voert tegen de wrede commerciële zeehondenjacht.

Behoedzaam want het handelsverbod staat wel uitzonderingen toe voor producten uit zogenaamd humaan verkregen jachten.  Het IFAW maakt zich grote zorgen om deze maas in de wet aangezien het onmogelijk is om te controleren of methoden zijn toegepast die de zeehonden humaan gedood zouden hebben.

Ook dit jaar heeft het IFAW bewijsmateriaal verkregen waaruit blijkt dat zeehonden nog steeds een langzame en pijnlijke dood sterven. Dit jaar zijn er maar liefst 206,721 zeehonden wreed gedood.

Lees meer hierover in de persbericht