Norway and Canada have requested the WTO to appoint the members of the dispute settlement panel established to consider EU's ban on seal products.(Photo: Coastal and Fisheries Minister Lisbeth Berg-Hansen)
“We consider the legislation to be inconsistent with the EU’s obligations under WTO rules, and are looking forward to the start of the panel process,” said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
The EU legislation sets very strict requirements for trade in seal products. It is not possible for Norwegian seal products to meet these requirements, and they can therefore no longer be placed on the market in the EU.
“For the Norwegian authorities, this issue involves important principles, such as our right to sustainably harvest our living marine resources and to sell products derived from hunting and fishing,” said Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen.
Norway, like Canada, considers the EU’s ban to be groundless. The seal stocks from which Norway harvests are not threatened, and the Norwegian seal hunt is strictly controlled and required to maintain satisfactory ethical standards that safeguard animal welfare.
The WTO panel process is likely to take about a year to complete.
The dispute settlement panel was established in April 2011 at Norway and Canada’s request, to provide an independent assessment of the EU regulation on trade in seal products (Regulation 1007/2009/EC), which entered into force on 20 August 2010.
(NRK/Press release)
Statistics show that Norwegians' use of cultural venues and institutions shows a significant decline from 2008 to 2012.(Photo: The Oslo National Theatre)..
Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard's second book in the six-volume success series was released in the U.S. on May 15th.
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Emmelie de Forest from Denmark won first place in the Eurovision Song Contest, and Norway's Margaret Berger ended up in fourth place...
Today, May 17th, is Norway's National Day. It is celebrated all across the nation, from the largest community to the smallest, with parades, bands, flags, national costumes, festival services and festivities with everyone taking part, marking the day in 1814, when Norway adopted its new Constitution.
With all of the important outdoor festivities, the weather is very important on this day, and the whole nation watches the weather forecasts..
The government and the farmers have agreed on this year's settlement, which entails NOK 1,27 billion more funds allocated to Norwegian agriculture.
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The weather prognosis for Norway's National Holiday calls for both rain and sunshine. Bring an umbrella - and your sunglasses, say meterorologists...
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit last days in the U.S. were focused on tourism, innovation and technology.
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On the second day of the Crown Prince couple's visit in the U.S., Crown Princess Mette-Marit traveled on to San Francisco, where the couple has a busy program over the next few days.
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Norway's King Harald has just fulfilled a long-held dream when he spent four days living with the Yanomami people in a remote part of Brazil's Amazon River basin.
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The Ministry of Environment has set aside an additional NOK 10 million in order to better secure and fireproof Norway's ancient stave churches.
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Today, Wednesday May 1st is also Labour Day in Norway, with parades and speeches, - and also a sort of practice day for May 17th, which of course is Norway's Birthday, our Constitution Day.
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The Band and Drill team of the Norwegian King’s Guard will perform at Stoddert Elementary School in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, April 30.
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Norway's Queen Sonja this week opened the exhibition entitled “Munch|Warhol and the Multiple Image” in New York City. The exhibition brings together the works of two of the greatest printmakers of the 20th century.
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The Norwegian film "Kon Tiki" opens in theatres in LA and New York today, Friday. The movie is expected to screen in 400 theatres across the U.S.
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