Customs – import of seal products
A Customs Information Paper entitled ‘New EU ban on the import and placing on the market of seal products‘ has been published. This follows the introduction of a new EU wide ban on the commercial importation and placing on the market of all seal products and products that contain such items. The ban took effect on 20 August 2010 and also covers products from walruses and sea lions.
There are three specific exemptions where seal products can be imported into the EU, but only if accompanied by proper documentary evidence:
- They result from traditional hunts by Inuit and other indigenous communities and contribute to their subsistence
- They result from hunts regulated under national law with the sole purpose of sustainable management of marine resources and where the products are marketed on a non-profit basis
- They are for the personal use of travellers and their families