Following-up on the WTO's quick summary of the March 25 DSB meeting mentioned here, here's more from Norway on its right to trade in seal products, from the full DSB minutes:
86. The representative of Norway said that, at the present meeting, her country was requesting the establishment of a panel in the long-standing dispute with the EU regarding its ban on trade in seal products, which had come into effect on 20 August 2010. As outlined in its request of 14 March 2011, it was Norway's firm view that the Seal Regulation and its implementing regulation were inconsistent with the EU's WTO obligations, including the Agreement on Agriculture, the TBT Agreement and the GATT 1994. Norway saw no justification for the EU ban on trade in seal products. Moreover, this dispute was not just about seal products, but more importantly about a Member's right, under the WTO Agreements, to trade in the marine resources it chose to harvest in a sustainable manner.
87. Without entering into the merits of its claims, Norway wished to emphasize that none of the species hunted by Norway were endangered and were not listed by CITES. The Norwegian quotas for its seal catch were set in line with advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, and the catch in recent years had been well below the total allowable catch. The hunt was, in other words, a sustainable part of the livelihood of coastal communities and founded in science. Furthermore, Norway took animal welfare very seriously. The Norwegian hunt was subject to strict, detailed regulation regarding the killing of animals, training of marksmen, surveillance and monitoring, which was strictly enforced and ensured high animal welfare standards. Studies by the European Food Safety Authority and Consultancy within Engineering, Environmental Science and Economics confirmed that the Norwegian hunt conformed to the highest standards. ...
Is there a "right to trade in marine resources harvested in a sustainable manner"? Are there similar rights to trade in other products that are made following particular standards?
