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COM ( 83) 463 
 
 
 
Vol. 19 83/0176 
  
 
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Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
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file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen 
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983, 
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COMMISSION OF THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 
COM(83) 463 final 
Brussels,  23 august 1983 
COMMUNICATION  FROM THE COMMISSION  TO THE COUNCIL 
in compliance  with Article 2 of  Council  Directive 
(83/129/EEC)  of 28 March  1983 concerning  the 
importation  into Member  States of skins of certain 
seal pups and products derived therefrom 
COM(83) 463 final 

COMMISSION  OF THE 
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
COMMUNICATION  FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
in compliance  with Article  2 of Council  Directive 
(83/129/EEC)  of 28 March 1983 concerning  the 
importation  into Member  States of skins of certain 
seal pups and products  derived therefrom  (1) 
(1) OJ N° L  91 of 9.4.83,  p. 30 

CONTENTS 
1. Introduction 
2. Results of further contacts  with  third countries 
2.1. Canada 
2.2. Norway 
3. Results of the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the  
Convention  on International  Trade in Endangered Species of Wild  
Fauna  and Flora (CITES) concerning seals 
4. Scientific aspects and consequences for the management of harp  
and hooded seal  stocks . 
4.1. Assessments of harp and hooded seal stocks 
4.1.1.  Northwest Atlantic 
4.1.1.1.  Harp seals 
4.1.1.2.  Hooded seals 
4.1.2.  Northeast Atlantic 
4.2. Research 
4.2.1.  Hooded seals 
4.2.2.  Harp seals 
4.3. Consequences for management 
4.3.1.  Management strategies 
4.3.2.  Framework for management 
5. The 1983 hunt 
5.1. Harp seals 
5.1.1.  Northwest Atlantic 
5.1.2.  Northeast Atlantic 
5.2. Hooded seals 
5.2.1.  Nortwest Atlantic 
5.2.2.  Northeast Atlantic 
6. Measures taken in the Member States 
7. Methods and circumstances of the 1983 hunt 

7.1. Killing methods 
7.2. Market situation 
8. Summary 
9. Cone  I us ion 

I. Introduction 
Council  Directive  83/129/EEC  provides  that  Member States shall  take  or 
maintain all necessary measuresto ensure  that  the products listed in 
its Annex are not commercially imported into their territory. The Directive 
shall  be applicable from 1 October 1983 to 1 October 1985, unless the 
Council  decides otherwise, by a decision taken by qualified majority on a 
proposal  from the  Commission. 
The Directive requests the Commission to make every  effort  in its contacts 
with  the countries in question, to bring about a situation which makes the 
application of the Directive superfluous. In this context it should be 
recalled  that  for the adoption of the Directive the Council based itself on the 
following considerations : 
a) the Resolution of European Parliament of 11 March 1982, 
b) voluntary or statutory measures taken in the Member States to restrict 
the importation or marketing of sealpup  skins,  and 
c) doubts concerning the population status of the harp and hooded seals raised 
in various studies 
The Directive requests the Commission further to present a report to the 
Council  before 1 September 1983. 
The present report responds to  that  request and in particular contains the 
information  that  has become available to the Commission since the Council 
meeting of 28 February  1983.  It should be taken into account in any further 
consideration  of the  matter  by the Council together  with  the information 
and conclusions contained in the Commission's communication to the Council 
of 15 February 1983 (Council doc.  4914/83  ENV 20) 
2. Results of further contacts  with  third countries 
2.1. Canada 
As a follow-up of the Council Directive a first meeting  with  Canadian 
representatives took place in  Brussels  on 13 April 1983. The Commission 
expressed  the hope  that  Canada would be ready to cooperate in further  discussions. 
The Canadian representatives in response emphasized  that  any restriction on 
sealskin  imports is not compatible  with  GATT  and took the view  that  the terms 
of the Directive and the recourse to Article 235 of the Treaty indicated a 
shift of emphasis in the direction of relying purely on scientific considerations 
-the point of view  that  had all along been taken by Canada - but reserved their 
position  regarding a continuation of the  discussions  with  the  Commission.  The 
Commission  indicated  that  whilst it was  true  that  the Directive places greater 
emphasis  than hitherto on scientific considerations, 

- 2 -
considerations,  it would be necessary to cover all aspects of the matter 
in the report to the  Council.  Subsequently there was a brief discussion 
of the matter at the  EC/Canada  High Level consultations of 25 April 1983 
at which the Canadian representatives indicated  that  a reply to the 
Commission's  invitation to them to continue discussions would shortly 
be given and would indicate conditions as a prerequisite for 
Canada's  willingness to continue the discussions. 
A note verbale was received on 30 May (Annex 1) setting out the conditions 
for further  discussion of the  issue.  Canada  undertook to take new measures 
in relation to the management, killing methods and the conservation of harp 
and hooded seals if there was scientific proof showing their necessity in 
exchange  for a commitment from the Commission to exclusively base its report 
and recommendations to the Council on scientific considerations concerning 
management and killing methods as well as on a cooperative approach towards 
the elaboration of an international framework for the management of sealstocks-
The Commission had no difficulty in agreeing  that,  in the  light  of the terms 
of the Council Directive,  further  discussions should address scientific 
and conservation aspects and alternatives for international cooperation 
in the field of the management of seal stocks. It pointed out, however,  that 
the report must necessarily deal  with  all aspects of the sealpup question 
referred to in the Directive and  that  accordingly it could not agree  that  its 
report should be based solely on scientific considerations. 
(Annex 2). There has since - inspite of repeated reminders by the Commission -
been  no further  communication from the Canadian side and accordingly no action 
has been possible on the Commission's request for a meeting in Ottawa 
between Canadian government and Commission representatives. 
2.2. Norway 
A first  meeting following the adoption of the Council Directive  with  Norwegian 
government representatives took place on 12 April 1983 during which it 
was pointed out  that  the Norwegian government attached great importance 
to continued discussions  with  the Commission on the seal  issue. 
A second meeting was held on 24 June 1983 at which both the Canadian proposals 
for research (see Annex II of the Commission report of 15 February 1983 and 
the results of the 13-17 June  NAFO  meeting (see point 4.1.1.) were  discussed. 
The Norwegian authorities also provided the Commission  with  information on the 

- 3 -
1983  hunt,  the market situation and  future  research on the seal species concerned. 
The Norwegian position on the Council Directive can be summarized as being one 
of full  readiness to cooperate  with  the Commission and  with  Canada on the 
definition and execution of necessary research. Norway has all along 
argued for the management of stocks on a purely scientific basis and  that  in 
consequence  there is no basis for the Council Directive, which is considered 
to be an infringement of the Free Trade Agreement  with  Norway; t he Directive 
is moreover unnecessary because of the absence of a market for the products 
concerned - a situation which seems likely to continue for at least the 
operative period of the Directive. 
3. Results of the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention 
on International  Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora  
(CITES)  concerning seals 
A proposal  from  the Federal Republic of Germany to include all  true  seals 
(Phocidae) in Appendix II to the Convention was rejected by the Conference 
of the Parties. It was the view of most Parties present  that  measures 
concerning the hooded seal were justified, but  that  the inclusion of the 
entire family for look alike reasons was not. This differentiated view 
could,  however, not be expressed because the vote only concerned the 
comprehensive proposal. 
4. Scientific aspects and consequences for the management of harp and 
hooded seal stocks 
4.1.  Assessment of harp and hooded seal stocks 
4.1.1.  Northwest Atlantic 
On a joint  request of Canada and the European Economic Community on 
Management in 1984 and 1985 of  Seal  Stocks in the Northwest Atlantic 
the ad hoc Working Group on  Seals  of the  NAFO  Scientific Council met in 
Dartmouth  from  13 to 17 June 1983. Its task was to review and advise 
for both  harp and hooded seals on : 
a) current stock size and pup population and recent trends in these 
parameters; 
b) current replacement yield and sustainable yield at present stock size and 
in the long  term  under varying options of age compositions in the catch, 
including  that  recently occurring; specifically, how would the 
replacement yield change if the age composition of the catch changed 
from  that  recently observed? 

- A -
c) trends  in population  size  based upon differing levels of catch 
assuming  quota regulation of all removals except  that  by traditional 
hunting in the Canadian Arctic and at Greenland; 
d) trends in catchesin  Canada,  north  of 60°  N Latitude and at Greenland 
e) future  research requirements and need for coordination  with  ICES; 
f) consideration of the I imits to any change in the population abundance 
of hooded  seals  over the next five years, given a range of catch 
levels  maintained during the period. 
4.1.1.1.  Results concerning harp  seals 
The conclusions to be drawn from the meeting remain substantially the same 
as those of the  ICES  study: the possibility  that  the population has 
decreased  since  1967  cannot be ruled out.  (1) 
It must, however, be noted  that  the low catch in  1983  means  that  the population 
should  alsmost certainly increase if catches stay around the  1983  level. 
If the low estimates of natural mortality are correct there should be a 
very large (up to  50%)  increase in population  size  over the next five years. 
4.1.1.2.  Results concerning hooded  seals 
Apart from the fact  that  virtually no hooded  seals  were taken by  Canada 
and Norway in  1983,  there was no new information. Some  trial  calculations 
were made using a minimum estimate of  15,000  for pup production in  1979 
and a range of mortality rates  (0.07 - 0.13).  These indicated  that  for 
quite a wide range of mortality rates the population cannot sustain even 
the catch in Greenland. Otherwise the general conclusions do not differ 
from those of  ICES. 
(1; A revised version of a paper presented by Roff and Bowen to the October 1982  ICES 
meeting concerning harp  seal  population dynamics was available to the Working 
Group.  This paper used a different method to calculate the age-structure of the 
population in 1967 as a result of which the estimated natural mortality was even 
lower than  that  presented to  ICES  (around 0.07 rather than 0.08 - 0.10) The 
Working Group considered  that  this increased the range of feasible values for 
natural mortality from the 0.08 - 0.11 used by  ICES  to 0.05 - 0.11. This has 
the effect of increasing upwards the range of sustainable yields for the population. 
The effectiveness of the Roff and Bowen techniques for estimating natural mortality 
has,  however, not been  assessed  by the Working Group. 
The Working Group repeated the calculations carried out by  ICES  using ranges for 
pup production in 1967 and 1978-80 and various mortality rates. 

- 5 -
4.1.2. Northeast Atlantic 
No analyses of Northeast Atlantic harp and hooded seal stocks were 
published or have been made available to the Commission. The Norwegian 
authorities indicated, however,  that  they are considering the regular 
submission  of their scientific data on the Jan Mayen stocks to the 
ICES  ad hoc working Group on seals for advice to the  Norway-USSR 
Fisheries  Commission. 
The inability to provide scientifically determined estimates of current 
pup production and replacement yield of hooded seals is to a large 
extent related to the lack of reliable information on the  size  of the stocks. 
For the Northwest Atlantic there are no sufficient data on the  size  of 
the Front and Davis Strait herds, the extent to which these mix along 
the coast of Greenland, the amount of interchange between these two 
herds and the possibility of interchange  with  the Jan Mayen herd. 
Such  information is critical for  future  advice on harvest levels of 
hooded seals and the  NAFO  ad hoc Working Group therefore strongly recommended 
an intensive one-year coordinated research program involving : 
- simultaneous aerial surveys of the Front and Davis Strait breeding 
populations and the requisite ground-truthing; 
- collection of adequate biological samples (500-750 females) for age 
composition analysis and reproductive rates at the Front, Davis Strait 
and along the Greenalnd coast; 
- tagging of pups at the Front, Davis Strait and Jan Mayen. 
The age-sample  from  the Davis Strait herd is considered to be particularly 
important  because of the information it can provide on  total  mortality 
rate for this herd, its reproductive parameters and degree of mixing 
with  other whelping herds. 
The Canadian authorities have proposed to prepare such a comprehensive 
research  program (which closely corresponds to the Canadian proposal 
given in Annex II to the Communication  from  the Commission to the Council 
of 15 February 1983) for consideration by the relevant parties for 
implementation in 1984. The situation as regards the  future  implementation 
of necessary research  work  for hooded seals is thus an encouraging one. 
The Commission remains  fully  ready to cooperate in such  work. 4.2. Research 
4.2.1. Hooded  seals 

- 6 -
4.2.2.  Harp seals 
The Commission agrees  with  the view  that  research on hooded seals 
is more important than on harp seals but existing programmes on the 
latter  species should of course continue. A particularly important 
area for future research on harp seals is  that  of their interaction 
with  fish  stocks.  Given the low number of the 1983 catch and the 
expected rapid increase of the stocks if catches stay around  that 
Level,  the demand for management measures is likely to increase 
as well. 
The Commission  will  follow up this  matter  in its future requests 
for advice to the  NAFO  Scientific  Council. 
4.3. Consequences for the management of harp and hooded seal stocks 
4.3.1.  Management strategies 
A factor to be taken into account is  that,  in view of the low demand 
for whitecoat and blueback pelts, the actual commercial  take  of 
harp and hooded seals by Canada and Norway was low in 1983 and lower 
than the confidence limits of any proposed TAC. This situation is 
not likely to change in the next couple of years. 
TAC's  should,  however, be established on basis of sound stock 
management principles, whilst both the size and nature of the 
actual  take  may vary  within  the given limits as a result of 
economic  considerations. In 1983,  TAC's  for harp seals  were  set at 
the same level as in previous years despite of the uncertainties 
reflected in the ICES report. The Northwest Atlantic TAC for hooded 
seals  was only reduced by 20 %. The Commission accepts the view 
expressed  by IUCN in December 1982  that  - given the existing 
uncertainties and as long as these cannot be adequately removed -
a cautious management of harp  seals,  with  sufficient safety factors 
to allow for these uncertainties, is necessary. Consequently, on 
scientific  grounds catch quotas for harp seals should be set more 
conservatively  than heretofore until  such  time  as the status and 
trends in the populations can be more firmly established; for hooded 
seals,  given the more dangerous level of uncertainty surrounding 
their status, there should be significantly reduced quotas or even 
a temporary cessation of the hunt. The implementation of the 
research  programmes  discussed  above would contribute considerably 
to the reduction of existing uncertainties. 

- 7 -
4.3.2.  Framework for the management of seal stocks 
The Commission, as indicated in its communication to the Council of 15 
February  1983, holds the view  that  the creation of an international 
sealing  convention as proposed by  Canada  is not the proper response 
to the problems involved in the management of seal stocks in particular 
because  of the overlap  with  existing international organizations  (NAFO 
and ICES)  and the fact  that  Norway  might  find  it difficult  to participate in such 
organization. 
The Norwegian  intention  to involve  ICES  in scientific matters concerning 
the Northeast Atlantic strengthens the Commission in this view. 
5. The 1983  hunt 
5.1.  Harp seals 
5.1.1.  Northwest Atlantic 
Provisional  information on the regulated Canadian catch in 1983 indicates 
that  this was substantially lower than in previous years : around 50,000 
compared  with  160,000 - 190,000, because of low demand. Very few whitecoats 
were taken. From a conservation viewpoint it is  important  to note  that 
a shift  of the  hunt  to animals over 1 year of age did not take place. 
It is expected  that,  as in previous years, an additional 20 - 25,000 seals 
will be taken in the Arctic Canadian and Greenland catch. Norway did not 
participate in the Newfoundland seal  hunt  during 1983. 
5.1.2.  Northeast Atlantic 
No exact figure can be given for the 1983  hunt  in the White Sea, where an 
average  of 50,000 harp seal pups has been taken in recent years, (of which 
15-17,000  beaters were taken by Norwegian vessels). In 1983 4 Norwegian 
vessels  took  18,089 harp seals  from  the White Sea herd of which 431 were pups 
of between 4 and 20 weeks. 
At Jan Kayen 2 Norwegian .vessels  took  3,318 harp seals (12,000 in 1982) 
of which 742 were young of the year but included no whitecoats. 
5.2.  Hooded seals 
5.2.1.  Northwest Atlantic 
No hooded seals were taken at the Front by large vessels during 1983 because 
of low demand for hooded seal pelts. Up to 3 June 50 pups and 64 older 
seals  had been taken by landsmen at the Front. If the Greenland catches 

- 8 -
of hooded seals remain at the previous level (most recent 
estimate is 5,600 in 1980) the expected catch for the Northwest 
Atlantic  will  be less than 6,000, whereas the estimated average catches 
since  the early 1970's have been about 16,000. 
5.2.2.  Northeast Atlantic 
Only  86 adult hooded seals were taken by Norwegian vessels at Jan Mayen 
in 1983 (as compared  with  approximately 13,500 - of which between 70 
and 80% bluebacks - in 1982). 
6. Measures taken in the Member States 
The Commission is at present examining recent information provided by Member 
States  on measures taken to prevent the importation of sealpup skins. 
For its  part  the Commission is investigating the possibility of creating 
new NIf.EXE subheadings in order to facilitate the surveillance by customs 
of the effectiveness of the measures to be taken by Member States in 
accordance  with  Council Directive  83/129/EEC  and to guard against the 
deliberate or accidental mis-description of the skins and products 
concerned  under an allied heading. 
7. Methods and circumstances of the 1983  hunt 
7.1.  Killing methods 
As almost no baby seals were hunted in 1983 the use of clubs and hakapiks 
as stunning devices was practically non-existent. Since the 
communication  from  the Commission to the Council of 15 February 1983 there is 
no new information on the use and the development of alternative killing methods 
for seal pups. 
7.2.  Market situation 
The low demand for sealskin products in general, and for those derived  from 
sealpups  in particular, has over recent years led to the build up of large 
unsold  stocks of skins. Together  with  the uncertain outlook for trade on the 
Community market this situation made the nain buyers of seal pelts announce before 
the opening of the 1983 sealhunt  thatthey  would not buy any whitecoat or blueback 
pelts this year and probably not in the next two or three years either. 

- 9 -
8. Sommai re 
(i) The June 1983  NAFO  assessments support the doubts raised concerning the 
population status of the harp and hooded seals by the October 1982 ICES 
study. 
(ii) Intensified  research efforts concerning hooded seals stocks are essential 
for the establishment of a scientific basis for  future  decisions on their 
management. 
(iii) Research on harp seals should continue. Their interaction  with  fish stocks 
is likely to become a major  future  issue and, given the present lack of 
information, this aspect should be examined more closely. 
(iv) However, it must be recognized  that  results of the research efforts referred 
to in point 4.2.  will  only be available in a couple of years. 
(v) The results of the  NAFO  study underline the necessity for a cautious 
management of harp seals as long as the existing uncertainties cannot be 
adequately removed. In the case of the hooded seal  there  should be 
significantly reduces  TAC's  and quotas or even a cessation of the commercial 
hunt. 
(vi) The Conference of the Parties to CITES was unable to  take  measures for the 
hooded  seal. 
(vii) The directive 83/129/EEC has lead to a reduction of the harvest below the 
lower  limit  of the replacement yield, effect which is likely to last 2-3 
years,  thereby making a considerable contribution to improving the 
conservation status of both the harp and the hooded seal. 
(viii)  In view of the general  attitude  towards the traditional  Inuit  hunt it is to be 
hoped  that  the application of the Directive  will  contribute to reducing 
possible  negative effects of the present low demand for sealskin products 
in general on the commercial outlets for  Inuit  produced pelts. 
(ix) The further contacts of the Commission  with  Canada and Norway did not 
bring about a situation which would make the application of Directive 
83/129/EEC superfluous because: 

- 10 -
(a) The fact  that  hardly any wtvitecoats and bluebacks were taken in 1983 
is the result of the very low demand for these products in recent 
years  and the poor outlook for this trade as a result of the 
measures  taken or envisaged in connection,  with  the Resolution of the 
Council  and the representatives of the governments of the Member States 
of 5 January 1983 and the Council Directive of 28 March 1983. 
(b) Both  Canada  and Norway set the  total  allowable catches at the same 
levels  as in previous years notwithstanding the uncertainties over the 
conservation status of harp and hooded seals raised by the October 
1982  ICES  study. 
(c) No action was taken by  Canada  and Norway to meet the objections against the 
killing of newborn  seals.  It seems probable  that  had there been a market 
for whitecoat and blueback pelts, there would have been a  hunt  as in 
previous years on the same  scale,  with  the same methods and under the 
same  circumstances. 
9. CONCLUSION 
- In view of the above the Commission has decided not to make a proposal 
to modify Directive  83/129/EEC  and is of the opinion  that  it should be 
applied  for the envisaged period and  that  the situation should be 
reconsidered  by September 1985. 

MISSION  OF  CANADA 
> the European  Communities Mnnex  I 
MISSION  DU  CANADA 
auprès  des  Communautés Européennes 
Rue de Loxum,6, 
1000 BRUXELLES 
NO.: 1804 
La Mission  du Canada  présente  SQB compliments 
à la Commission  des Communautés européennes  et a l'honneur 
de se reporter  à une  suggestion  avancée récemment  par la 
Commission  en vue  d'organiser  une série de rencontres  pour 
discuter  de la  suite à donner  à la  Directive  du Conseil  des 
Ministres  de l'Environnement,  en date du 28  mars 1983, 
concernant  l'importation  de certaines  peaux de phoques  et 
de produits  dérivés  de ces  phoques. 
Le Gouvernement  du Canada a été  encouragé  de ce 
que la Communauté  a accepté  de collaborer  â la préparation 
d'une demande  conjointe  sollicitant  l'avis  du Conseil 
Scientifique  de l'Organisation  des Pêches de l'Atlantique 
Nord-Ouest(OPANO),relativement  â la  gestion  des populations 
de phoques,  vu l'entente  de part et d'autre  que cet  avis 
était sollicité  parce  qu'il est  pertinent  aux décisions  à 
prendre  par les parties  requérantes. 

2 
Le Gouvernement  du Canada  sera heureux,  suite à la 
Directive  du Conseil  du 28  mars 1983, de  participer  à des 
discussions  supplémentaires  sous réserve de  l'engagement  par les 
deux parties  de baser  leur recommandations  et leurs  actions  futures, 
exclusivement  sur des  preuves  scientifiques  objectives  et sur 
les approches  coopératives de  gestion  internationale  qui pourront 
être élaborées.  Pour sa part, le Gouvernement  du Canada  serait 
prêt, si la  preuve  scientifique  en démontrait la nécessité, à 
prendre  de nouvelles  mesures  relativement  à la  gestion,  aux 
méthodes de  capture  et à la  conservation  des stocks  de phoques 
harpes(du  Groenland)et  à capuchon.  En contre  partie  le Gouvernement 
du Canada  demanderait  à la Commission  de souscrire  à un engagement 
équivalent  touchant  son rapport  et ses  recommandations  au Conseil 
des Ministres  sur la nécessité de  restreindre  le commerce  des 
produits  du phoque  ou d'envisager  des solutions  de rechange,  de 
sorte qu'ils  soient  fondés  aussi  exclusivement  sur des considérations 
scientifiques  relatives  à la  gestion,  à la  conservation,  et aux 
méthodes de  capture  utilisées  pour les stocks de phoques  harpes 
(du Groenland)  et à capuchonf  ainsi  que sur les  approches  coopéra-
tivos de gestion  internationale  qui pourront  être élaborées. 
Si la Commission  est prête à coopérer sur  cette base,  le 
Gouvernement  du Canada  sera heureux  de désigner des représentants 
pour rencontrer  les représentants de la  Commission  à Ottawa,  aux 
fins des discussions  susmentionnées. 
./3 

La Mission  du Canada  saisit  cette occasion  pour renouveler 
à la Commission des Communautés européennes  l'assurance  de sa 
très haute considération. 
BRUXELLES 
30 mai 1983 3 

Af >;r u 
DELEGATION  OF THE  COMMISSION  OF THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 
DELEGATION  DE LA  COMMISSION  DES  COMMUNAUTES  EUROPEENNES 
MOTE VERBALE 
1 ..The Delegation of the  Commission  of the  European 
Communities  in Canada  presents its  compliments  to Che De­
partment  of External  Affairs  and refers to the  Note  of the 
Mission of  Canada  to the  European  Communities  no. 1804 of 
30 May 1983, regarding the follow-up to be given to the 
.Council Directive of 28  March  1983 on the importation into 
the Community  Member  States of the skins of certain  sealpups 
and' of  products  derived therefrom. 
The Commission  is convinced of the necessity to 
continue its discussions with  Canadian  government  represen-
tatives  on the follow-up to be given to the Council Direc­
tive and welcomes  the willingness of the  Canadian  government 
to participate in  such  discussions. It  agrees  that, in  tiie 
light of the  terms  of the Directive,  such discussions should 
concentrate on the  scientific  and conservation aspects of 
the matter  and on alternatives for international'cooperation 
in the 'field  of the  management  of seal stocks. It  renews 
its suggestion that an early  meeting  should be  arranged  for 
this purpose. 
While the Commission  will  certainly  be ready  to 
b r i n g| to the attention of the Council the request; of the 
Canadian  government  that future decisions related to  harp 
and hooded  seals should be  based  on scientific  grounds 
only, it  cannot,  however  , accept  the Canadian  suggestion 
that it should  commit  itself  to basing its report and  recom­
mendations  to the Council exclusively on  scientific  consi­
derations  relating  to management,  conservation and hunting 
methods.  Its report  must  necessarily deal with all aspects 
12. , 
3S0 tvt  Spafki  Si., Su'ne  1)10,  Ciiowo,  Onl. KIR 7SB /  idephonc:  16)3)  Tit-KH  I  'cL..,  CSi-^U  Ui.1COM.Oil 

Page 2 . 
of the sealpup  question that  are referred  to in the  Direc­
tive. 
In the Note from the Canadian  Mission  dated 30 May 
1983 the Canadian  government  proposes a meeting in Ottawa 
with representatives  of the jCommission. In the  Comm  i s s i o*1  ' s 
view it would be  helpful  if such a meeting  could take place 
as soon as  possible after  the NAFO  meeting on harp and  hooded 
seals to. be  held in Halifax  from 13-17 June 1983. The Com~ 
•mission accordingly  suggests  that the proposed meeting in 
Ottawa  should  be held  on 27 or 28 June 1983. 
The Delegation  of the Commission of the European 
Communities in  Canada  avails  itself  of this  opportunity  to 
renew to the Department of  External  Affairs  the assurances • 
of its  highest consideration. 
Ottawa, 15 June 1983 
Department of  External  Affairs 
Protocol  Division 
Lester  B. Pearson  building 
125 Sussex  Drive 
Ottawa,  Ontario 
K1 A 0C2 DELEGATION  '