Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/2/10

6 November 2009

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 561/2009

European Union (EU)* : Restriction on the Marketing and Import of Seal Products

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU has recently adopted a Regulation to restrict the marketing and import of seal products. Details are set out in Regulation (EC) No. 1007/2009 (the Regulation). The Regulation can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:286:0036:0039:EN:PDF

DETAILS

1.  
2. In response to concerns of EU citizens and consumers on the animal welfare in respect of the killing and skinning of seals and the possibility of marketing of products obtained from animals killed in ways that caused pains, fears, or other forms of suffering, the EU authorities considered it necessary to establish harmonised rules concerning the marketing of seal products. With effect from 20 August 2010, the marketing of seals products shall be allowed only when the products are resulted from hunts traditionally conducted by Inuit and other indigenous communities and contribute to their subsistence.
    
3. Notwithstanding para. 2 above, import of seal products will still be allowed when the goods are for personal use of travellers and their families. Besides, the marketing of seal products resulted from by-products of hunting regulated by national law and for the sole purpose of sustainable management of marine resources will also be permitted if the products are marketed for non-commercial reasons and on a non-profit basis.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5556.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Peggy LEUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.