International

The European Food Safety Authority‭ (‬EFSA‭) ‬has demonstrated it:‭ ‬a study by the body charged with ensuring that food sold to the public in the twenty-seven EU member states is safe to eat has shown that a significant proportion of cloned animals experience adverse effects.‭ ‬Despite this,‭ ‬the European Commission is trying to sneak recognition of meat from cloned animals as an approved foodstuff in through the back door.‭ ‬The Commission wants to use the new EU Regulation on Novel Foods to add cloned meat to Europe's menu.‭

Members of the European Parliament received this week in their post a lobbying document from the Canadian government. The Canadians are unhappy about the Netherlands' desire to see an import ban on seal products. SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard has been at the forefront of campaigning in the European Parliament for a ban on the trade in seal fur. The European Commission's proposal on the issue still leaves quite a bit to be done and Canada is really pulling out the stops to find aspects of international regulations which will enable it to fight such a ban.