Most Europeans don’t like “public morality” trade bans: Survey

“The WTO ban is based on the misconception… that Europeans are completely opposed to the seal hunt”

NUNATSIAQ NEWS

These sealskin creations were on display at the 2014 Northern Lights festival in Ottawa. A new survey shows that the majority of Europeans believe that if the WTO ban on seal products is upheld, it could have a negative impact on the trade of other animal or natural products. (FILE PHOTO)
These sealskin creations were on display at the 2014 Northern Lights festival in Ottawa. A new survey shows that the majority of Europeans believe that if the WTO ban on seal products is upheld, it could have a negative impact on the trade of other animal or natural products. (FILE PHOTO)

A poll commissioned by the Trade Fairness Coalition suggests that a majority of Europeans are opposed to any World Trade Organization bans on commercial products based on “public morality” — unless there is clear evidence to support the ban.
An Abacus Data survey recently conducted in six European countries found that half of respondents oppose banning commercial products based on public morality, compared to only 33 per cent who support that approach.
The poll results come as the WTO considers an appeal against its recent decision to uphold the European Union’s ban on commercial seal products. Story in full here

May 15: Poll: Many Europeans Opposed to WTO “Public Morality” Trade Ban

A new poll conducted in Europe by Abacus Data shows that the WTO’s excuse of “public morality”  as a means to uphold an import ban of seal products into Europe was not holding up in over 60% of those polled. The same poll and survey found that up to 75% thought the use of animal consumption was acceptable so long as it is done in a way that protects animal welfare and that resources are sustainable and no species numbers is ever at risk.

“It’s clear that Europeans are concerned about publicly morality trumping scientific evidence,” said David Hutton, Co-Chair of the Trade Fairness Coalition (TFC). “It’s also clear they see the very dangerous precedent this could set for the fair trade in other sustainable use, natural resource and energy products.”

Survey Methodology:
Abacus Data has just completed a survey of 2,407 residents aged 18 living in Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Spain. A total of 400 interviews were conducted online with a representative sample of residents in each country from April 11 to 22, 2014. The data was weighted by age, gender, and region according to national population statistics in each country. The overall six country average was weighted according to the population of each country.

Full survey details on MarketWired.com

Abacus Data.ca – Poll results are here (PDF)