91999E0848

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0848/99

by Tony Cunningham (PSE) to the Commission

(7 April 1999)

Subject: Barbarity of the fur trade in China

Is the Commission aware of the barbaric treatment of animals in China, in particular of Alsatian dogs, involved in the production of fur for the international market?

Can the Commission supply details of any fur trade between the EU and China and provide assurance that it has no connection with the perpetrators of this horrific aspect of the trade?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1999)

The Commission shares the opinion of the Honourable Member that animals should not be treated in a cruel manner, notably in order to produce fur for international trade.

However, the Commission is not collecting any specific information concerning trade and processing of dog fur in China. It is therefore not possible to confirm whether this business is growing.

Given that animal welfare is becoming increasingly relevant in terms of international trade, this issue may in the future be raised in the World trade organisation (WTO) context. The possibility of amending WTO rules to address welfare concerns more generally will be addressed in the context of the determination of the Community's negotiating objectives for the next stage of the WTO negotiations.