EU participates in joint diplomatic protest on whaling towards Japan

EU News 376/2015

09/12/2015

The EU and its Member States have joined the appeal by New Zealand, Australia, USA and others, urging Japan to reconsider their recent decision to resume the so-called 'scientific whaling' in the Southern Ocean, starting from 1 December. Japan's whaling plans disregard the opinion of the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee and do not conform to the criteria for whaling for scientific purposes, as established in the 2014 ruling by the International Court of Justice. The EU and its Member States have consistently expressed strong reservations about whaling for scientific purposes. This action reflects the importance given to the conservation of whales by European citizens. Whales receive special protection under the EU Habitats Directive in all EU waters and the EU strictly enforces the ban on trade under the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

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