Current Situation 

19th June 2007: Great Success! EU Parliament closes major loophole in fur ban

On Tuesday the European Parliament  voted overwhelmingly for a strict ban on the import, export and sale of dog and cat fur in the EU. After extensive negotiations between the Council of Ministers and the European Commission the Members of Parliament rejected the loophole in the regulation. The ban will apply to all fur and fur products from domestic cats and dogs, and closely related sub-species which it would be impossible to tell apart from such animals, e.g, wildcats.
 

The original proposals from the Commission would have allowed an exemption for fur from cats and dogs "not bred or killed for fur production" that would have totally defeated the purpose of the ban. Big thanks to everyone who collected and signed petitions, sent emails and faxes and wrote letters to your MEPs and Ministers. Due to your tremendous support and commitment this major loophole has been closed.

Ministers from the EU Member States will need to give the ban their approval, but are not expected to reject it, following an informal agreement with the Parliament on the text.

Now that the European Parliament as a whole has voted on these proposals, the law will come into effect within 18 months and must be fully enforced in every Member State of the EU by the end of 2008 at the latest. The enforcement of the ban however will rely on the individual Member States to ensure that dog and cat fur products are no longer on the market, and to develop the methods of how to enforce the ban.

The regulation is expected to be published after the summer recess (we will keep you posted on eventss.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION FINALLY BRINGS OUT PROPOSAL TO BAN DOG AND CAT FUR:
 

On 20 November 2006:

Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection Markos Kyprianou issued a proposal to ban the import, export and sale of dog and cat fur across the 27 Member Nations of the EU.

However, the proposed legislation is not a total ban since it contains provisions which allow the ban to be derogated from, and a  loophole that allows fur into the EU from dogs and cats killed for other purposes.

The Commission hopes legislation to be in place by the end of the year, however, if the proposed law is passed as is - the loophole will totally defeat its purpose.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? - ACT NOW - CLICK HERE

Tests reveal dog fur on sale in Britain
Voice 4 Dogs has found domestic dog fur on sale in the UK. This is the result of an extensive series of tests conducted on the fur by means of MALDI – TOFF mass spectrometry. Tests proved positive for domestic dog fur, found in a fur trimmed leather hat. The shop from which the item had been purchased claimed that their supplier had informed them that the fur was mink. This research proves that producers fraudulently substitute cheaper dog hair for more expensive fur such as mink. And provides evidence that the skins of domestic dogs and cats are indeed for sale on Britain's high streets.

The DTI Minister for Trade issued a written statement to Parliament on this issue back in 2003. In his statement he asked animal welfare groups to provide hard evidence of any dog and cat fur for sale in the UK, and said that if such evidence was produced, he would support a ban on the import of these furs. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, Voice 4 Dogs is the only group provided spectrometry/DNA tested evidence of dog and cat fur available in the UK.

Voice 4 Dogs therefore urges the government to make good on its promise to ban such imports when found on sale in the UK. We presented clear evidence backed up with laboratory reports to DTI officials and have been liaising with them about a strong, proactive UK stance on this issue within the EU.

June 2005: Voice 4 Dogs petition calling for a Europe-wide ban on cat and dog fur and skins was examined in June by the Committee on Petitions.   

The EU Commission has replied that Markos Kyprianou, the Consumer Affairs Commissioner, has instructed his legal services to analyse possibilities for action at Community level, including the option of establishing a complete EU wide ban on the trade, and if necessary to propose a labelling system for furs. Stating that it would be complimentary to an eventual ban, not its substitute. The Commission has also stressed that the establishment of national bans would further facilitate the process of establishing a European wide ban.

At the moment the Commission's services are examining options for Community measures in the light of the experiences gained by the Member States in implementing national legislation on this issue. The respective requirements of WTO law, legal basis under Community law and the interplay with existing legislation to prevent consumer deception will also be taken into account.

Five EU Member States, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, France and Greece have already implemented national legislation on the import of cat and dog fur.

But the British government, however, has said it will not implement a national ban on the import of dog and cat fur until there is proof by positive extensive testing that it is in the UK. There is more information about this on the donations page.

In May 2004: The Commission stated that it would not act to ban the import, production and sale of cat and dog fur until a number of Member States have implemented national legislation on this issue. This is now the case with a number of Member States having banned the import, sale and production of dog and cat fur.

January 2004: The MEP,s declaration to ban the trade cat and dog fur was taken forward to the European Commission with an instruction for it to be drafted into legislation to reflect the will of the European Parliament. The Commission, however maintained that they don't have the authority to issue this ban as an EU directive and claim that such legislation can only be passed at a national level.

As a result, the Declaration has now been adopted as the official position of the European Parliament – which means it is now up to the Commission to draft the legislation and put it before the Council of Ministers who can then approve the ban.

Almost every MEP in the UK ( 80 from 87) signed his/her name to the Declaration  - all except the seven listed below!.

Mrs WALLIS, Diana
Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party

Mr WATSON, Graham R.
Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party

Baroness NICHOLSON OF WINTERBOURNE,
Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party

Mr TITFORD, Jeffrey William

Group for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities

Mr FARAGE, Nigel Paul
Group for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities

Mr BOWE, David Robert Group of the Party of European Socialists

Mr PROVAN, James L.C.
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats 

October 2002: MEP Ian Hudghton delivered our hand signed petition to Internal Market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein in Strasbourg.  Petitions signed online have been sent to all key EU Commissioners and the Committee on Petitions. Thank you to the thousands of people who have taken the time to add their names in support of our campaign.