Yahoo News 1 Jul 08;
Hundreds of anti-seal hunt demonstrators held a protest outside European Union headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, demanding that the 27-nation bloc impose a total ban on seal products from Canada and elsewhere.
The protest outside the European Commission and European Council buildings in central Brussels, was held on the day France assumed the EU's rotating presidency, and French protesters were to the fore.
Christophe Marie, a member of ex-screen icon Brigitte Bardot's foundation for the welfare of animals, said the protesters had come to "demonstrate the concerns of the people".
The French former film star, who has been involved in the campaign against the killing of baby seals for 30 years, was unable to attend for health reasons.
"Fur = Torture" read one banner held by two young protesters near a huge inflatable of a baby seal.
But no EU commissioner was in Brussels on Tuesday to witness the scene, all having travelled to Paris for the launch of France's six-month EU presidency.
The animal rights activists urged EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas to swiftly present promised proposals on banning seal products obtained in an inhumane way.
However they argued that it would be impossible to police all seal culls to check whether they are carried out in a humane manner or not, making the scheme unworkable and ineffective.
They instead want a total ban on seal products.
"We want a total ban which applies to all countries involved in commercial hunting" of young seals for their pelts, the International Fund for Animal Welfare said, citing Canada but also Russia, Finland and Denmark with Greenland.
Canada has increased its quota of seals to be hunted to 275,000 this year from 270,000.
The annual commercial seal hunt is often marked by confrontations between animal rights protesters and the hunters and Canadian authorities.
Belgium and the Netherlands have already banned the import of seal skins and products while several other EU nations, including Germany, have taken measures to close their own markets.
