CELEX: 51980PC0150
Language: en
Date: 1980-04-25
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) on common rules for imports of whale products (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (80) 150
Vol. 1980/0047
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                       COM(80 ) 150 final .
                                                       Brussels , 25 April 1980 .
                                  Proposal for a     ,
                            COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC )
            on common rules for imports of whale products
            ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
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 COM(SO ) 150 final *
 ---pagebreak---                                 EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1 . Because the situation as regards the status of the large species of whale
    is giving rise to concern , several Member States have taken , or are consider­
    ing , steps aimed at prohibiting the import of whale products to support
    international measures to ensure the survival of whales .
2 . A!s uniformity in the common commercial policy is to be maintained , Community
    measures on this matter are necessary . In consequence , the Commission thinks
    it appropriate to subject the introduction into the Community of primary
    whale products to a system of 1 icences .T"-~.e competent authorities should issue
    these licences only when they have assured themselves that the products in
    question are not to be vised for commercial purposes .
3 . Earlier experience has shown that the protective measures taken by the
    International Whaling Commission ( IWC ) have almost always been inadequate
    or introduced too late when stocks of the endangered species had already
    fallen to very low levels . Consequently , it has become very difficult , not
    to say impossible , for the populations to recover their original size .
    The Community as such must therefore accede to the International Convention
    on the Regulation of Whaling in order to lend weight to its point of view
    on the conservation of whales . The Commission has already submitted the
    relevant proposal to the Council . ^
4 . In any event , there is so much uncertainty over the conservation
    status of most whale species that it would seem best to end hunting and
    trading in these species as it might lead to their extinction and thus to
    a permanent change in marine ecology .
     ( 1 ) COM ( 79 ) 364 final , 30.8.1979 .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 2 -
5 . Substitutes are already available for all products derived from whales
    ( oils and other products ). The Commission therefore takes the view that
    abandoning whale products will not cause insuperable problems for
    industry , provided it is allowed a reasonable period in which adjust
    itself . Acting on this principle , the United States have already been
    able to ban the import of whale products . Australia is considering
    introducing a similar measure as from 1 January 1981 .
6 . Adoption of this Regulation now would permit those now using the products
    concerned to start making the necessary changes straight away . The
    implementing rules will have to be adopted at a later stage to align them
    with the implementaion of the Convention on International Trade in En­
    dangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna .
                                                                           ι
 ---pagebreak--- Proposal for a Council Regulation on common rules for imports of
whale products .
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 113 thereof ;
Having regard to Council Regulation No 136/ 66 / EEC of 22 September
1966 on the establishment of a common organization of the market in oils and
      1    .         . . .  _   ...    - *           – 2
fats , as last amended by Regulation ( EEC ) No 590/79 , and in particular
Article 3(1 ) thereof ;
Having regard to Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 827/ 68 of 28 June 1968
on the common organization of the market in certain products listed in
Annex II to the Treaty , as last amended by Regulation ( EEC ) No 1117/78 ,
and in particular Article 2(1 ) thereof ;
Having regard to the Commission proposal ;
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament ;
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ;
Whereas the conservation of certain species of whale calls for measures
which will restrict international trade ; and whereas these should be Com-
munity-level measures and should at the same time respect the Community 's
international obligations ;
Whereas it is therefore appropriate to make       the introduction into the
Community of certain products derived from whales subject to the production of an
import permit ; and whereas the competent     authorities should not issue
such permits unless they have assured themselves that the products in
question are not to be used for commercial purposes ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION
 1 0J No 172 of 30 September 1966 , p. 3025
 2 OJ No L 78 of 30 March 1979 , p. 1
 3 QJ No L 151 of 30 June 1968 , p. 16
 4 OJ No L 142 of 30 May 1978 , p. 1
 ---pagebreak---                           Article 1
From 1 January 1982 the introduction into the Community of the products
listedinthe Annex hereto shall be subject to the production of an import
permit . No such permit may be issued in respect of products to be used
for commercial purposes .
Member States shall notify the Commission before 1 July 1981 of the names and
addresses of the authorities appointed by them to issue the import licences
referred to in paragraph 1 . The Commission shall immediately inform the
other Member States thereof .
                          Article 2
After consulting the Member States , the Commission shall adopt rules
for the implementation of this Regulation , and in particular shall specify
the conditions under which import licences may be issued .
Ihis Regulation is binding in its entirety and shall be directly applic­
able in all the Member States .
                                            done at Brussels
                                            For the Council
 ---pagebreak---                        ANNEX
CCT No            Products description
ex 02.04 C I      Whale meat and edible meat offals , fresh ,
                  chilled or frozen
ex 02.06 C II     Whalemeat and edible meat offals , salted, in
                  brine , dried or smoked
ex 05.09          Whalebone , unworked or simply prepared but not
                  eut to shape        ~
ex 05.15 B        Whale meat and meat offals unfit for human
                  consumption ; whale meal and meat extracts
ex 15.04          Whale oils and fats , whether or not refined
ex 15.08          Whale oils , boiled , oxidized , dehydrated ,
              ' . sulphurized , blown , polymerized by heat in a
                  vacuum or an inert gas , or otherwise modified
ex 15.12          Whale oils and fats , wholly or partly hydrogen­
                  ated , or solidified or hardened by any other
                  process , whether or not refined , but not
                  further prepared
   15.15 A        Spermaceti of sperm-whales and other cetaceans ,
                  crude , pressed or refined , whether or not
                  coloured
ex 16.03          Whale meat extracts and meat juices .
ex Chapter 41     Jjeather , treated with whale-oil or oil of other
                  cetaceans , whether or not modified .