WRITTEN QUESTION E-3623/00

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(22 November 2000)

Subject: Japanese scientific whaling

The Japanese government has allocated to its scientific whaling programme for this year a quota of 540 minke whales, plus 50 Bryde's whales and 10 sperm whales under a legal loophole in the International Whaling Convention. The Japanese government has also ignored repeated resolutions passed by the International Whaling Commission requesting it to end its programme of scientific whaling, to respect the Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales established by the IWC in 1994 and additionally declaring the data obtained from this whaling programme unnecessary.

On 21 August this year 15 countries, including nine Member States(1), participated in a demarche in Tokyo, protesting to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the continuation of scientific whaling by the Japanese whaling fleet. Representations were made to Japan at the G8 summit by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Foreign Minister of Germany. Australia and New Zealand have both made diplomatic protests to Japan and the United States has boycotted a UN conference on the environment in Japan and has cancelled bilateral fisheries consultations. In September the United States gave notification that it is considering applying sanctions to Japan under the Pelly Amendment. In light of the above, could the Commission outline:

What is it doing to reflect this European and international condemnation of Japanese whaling through its formal contacts with Japan, and whether it is urging the Japanese government to respect this widely held concern by ending its programme of scientific whaling?

How it intends to use its position in international fora to put pressure on the Japanese government regarding scientific whaling, and whether it will in future be supportive of US protests against Japan?

(1) Member States participating in the demarche in Tokyo: Italy, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 2001)

As already pointed out in the answer to Written Question E-1807/00 from Mrs Flemming(1), the Community does not at this time have an overall policy with regard to whaling. This reflects a well-known divergence of opinion amongst the Member States on this issue.

It should be recalled that in July 1992 the Commission sent a Communication to the Council with a view to the Community acceeding to the International whaling commission (IWC). The Council has so far not adopted any decision authorising the Commission to negotiate such membership. For the time being, the Community's only status at the IWC remains as an observer, whereas eleven Member States are contracting parties of the organisation.

The Honourable Member will understand that, under these circumstances and with regard to the Community's status within the IWC in particular, the Commission may not express a view in respect of the said Japanese whaling activities. However, the Honourable Member should be assured that the Commission will continue to monitor compliance with Community legislation that indirectly affects whaling, i.e. Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein(2), implementing the Convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES) and preventing Community fishermen from hunting whales on the High Seas and from unloading catches of whales in the Community, as well as Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora(3) and obliging all Member States to establish a system of strict protection for all cetacean species, including whales.

(1) OJ C 103 E, 3.4.2001, p. 28.

(2) OJ L 61, 3.3.1997.

(3) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.