Canada is against European Union's decision about the seal's hunting
The European Union decided to close its markets to the imports of pelts and seal products on Tuesday, thanks to a vote of the European Parliament to prostest against a crual hunting methods. This decision comes one day before a summit meeting in Prague between Canada and the EU representatives. Canada, the most important exporter of these products, announced that it would contest this decision in front of the World Trade Organization. Canada, Greenland and Namibia kill 60% of 900,000 seals shot every year. This ban will be effective for the next round of commercial hunting in 2010.
The measure which had been demanded by a large section of European public opinion and animal right organizations, was approved by 550 MPs, against 49 votes. The prohibition "will have an economic impact for Canada, but it should'nt have any consequences on relations between Canada and the EU" estimated Arlène McCarthy, the British Socialist member of Parliament.
The embargo provides two exceptions : the traditional hunting practice by Inuit and the hunting practice on a small scale, regulated by national laws, especially in Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom to enable a sustainable management of fish stocks, of which pinnipeds are major consumers. It added to embargoes by the United States and Mexico, Canada's two major trading partners.
"The economic relations between Canada and the European Union account for 25 billion euros and the trade in products derived from seals only 4.2 million euros", said Arlène McCarthy.
Nine European countries - Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Slovenia and the Czech Republic - had already forbidden or announced their intention to prohibit the importation and marketing of pelts and seal products.
The other hunting countries are Norway, Iceland, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland. The embargo will be effective 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Marion Dauvilliers et Vanessa Biague, IEJ 2A
Société Générale : net loss of 278 million
Whereas SocGen counted on a benefit of 381 million euros, for the first half of the year the bank records a net loss of 278 million euros. A deficit “to relativize” according to Frederic Ouéda, who was appointed on Wednesday President and managing director of the bank. In this position he replaced Daniel Bouton, constrained to resign last week. Ouéda also affirms that in the case of failure “he will not receive any severance pay”. This precision comes to be added to the debate already going on about Daniel Bouton and the stock-options.
Myriam Hachemi, IEJ 2A
Delay for A380
Airbus, the subsidiary of group EADS and manufacturer of A380 Airbus announced on Wednesday that the deliveries of the biggest transport aircraft planned for 2009 would be delayed. The airframe manufacturer specified that this delay is due “to the economic crisis”. The company is now planning to deliver 14 machines, instead of the 18 initially envisaged. However, the airframe manufacturer confirmed its intention to deliver approximately the same number of planes as in 2008 (483), which was a record year for the manufacturer.
Myriam Hachemi, IEJ 2A
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