By Martin Banks - 18th July 2007
China has been accused of “sneering” at the EU following the recent introduction of a ban outlawing the trade in cat and dog fur.
The claim was made by UK Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson who has just returned from China as part of a parliamentary delegation.
MEPs went to Beijing to ask the authorities there to stamp out the trade after parliament voted unanimously in June in favour of a ban.
But the delegation was told that the decision to close the EU’s borders to such products was Europe’s business and the Chinese could not guarantee the trade could stop.
“I found the meeting extremely unhelpful and unsatisfactory,” said Stevenson.
“Clearly, we have touched a raw nerve with the Chinese government on this issue and despite the successful implementation of our EU ban, there remains much work to do to convince the Chinese to put a stop to this horrific business once and for all,” he said.
“Slaughter of theses animals is barbaric, with cats strangled outside their cages as other cats look on and dogs noosed with metal wires are slashed across the groin until they bleed to death as the wire noose cuts into their throat.”
The ban on cat and dog fur imports, exports and trade is expected to become law in all 27 EU member states by 2009.
The campaign received high-profile support from Sir Paul McCartney, Heather Mills and Rick Wakeman.
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