WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION AND ANIMAL WELFARE

Early day motion 483, tabled 9 January 2003 by Rob Marris (Labour). Signed by 126 members.

That this House welcomes Compassion in World Farming Trust's new report which highlights the detrimental impact of the World Trade Organisation rules on attempts to improve animal welfare; notes with concern that the European Union's prohibition on the import of certain furs from countries which use the leghold trap has largely been abandoned due to fears that it may not survive a WTO challenge; is dismayed that the EU has not followed the USA in prohibiting the import of cat and dog fur products; is concerned that the EU is being discouraged from prohibiting inhumane farming systems by its inability under the WTO rules to restrict the import of meat and eggs from animals reared in those inhumane systems in third countries; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to press for a reform of the WTO rules to permit a country which has itself enacted high animal welfare standards to require imports to come from animals reared or treated to similar standards.

Signatures by party: Labour 85, Liberal Democrat 19, Labour/Co-operative 9, Conservative 7, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 2, UUP 2.