TIR delighted: Federal Council has ambitions to ban the import of fur produced under conditions of animal cruelty

Last week the Federal Council announced its intention to examine an import ban on fur products produced in a cruel manner. The Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) was instructed to prepare a corresponding consultation draft by the end of March 2024. The Stiftung für das Tier im Recht (TIR; Foundation for the Animal in the Law) has been campaigning for such an import ban for many years and therefore welcomes the Federal Council's decision.

April 14, 2023

The demand for an import ban on furs produced under conditions of animal cruelty has been the subject of political debates and initiatives time and again in years past. Most recently, a motion to this effect by National Councillor Matthias Aebischer (SP/BE) failed in the Council of States last May, after the National Council had previously spoken out in favour of the issue with a clear majority (see news item of 30.5.2022). To the present day, the Federal Council has opposed such an import ban. In February 2020, for example, it stated in its response to the Aebischer motion that it would instead rely on the declaration obligation that has been in force since 2014 and the transparency that this would bring for consumers. The Council also raised doubts about the WTO conformity of the measure and possible enforcement difficulties as further reasons for its stance.

But now the Federal Council has apparently changed its view. In its corresponding press release it referred, in particular, to the fact that the industry continues to implement the declaration obligation for fur products inadequately, despite several contacts, admonitions and fines on the part of the federal government. In 2021 and 2022, two thirds of the sales outlets inspected failed to comply with the labelling regulations (see news item of 18.10.2022 (in German)). Already in the parliamentary debate on the Aebischer motion, Federal Councillor Alain Berset had announced that the Federal Council would take stock of the benefits of the declaration obligation and then - depending on the outcome - consider an import ban. However, this was not planned until 2024.

TIR is pleased that the Federal Council is already now considering an import ban and has commissioned the preparation of a corresponding consultation draft. For many years, TIR has been pointing out that a mere declaration obligation is insufficient from the point of view of animal welfare and that an import ban is urgently needed. Among other things, TIR was involved in the drafting of the Aebischer motion and has demonstrated in two detailed legal reports that such an import ban would also be compatible with the WTO regulations. In the end, however, the decisive factor will be how exactly the measure is legally implemented. TIR will therefore follow the legislative process closely and will, in any case, participate in the consultation procedure next year.

Furthermore, TIR approves of the introduction of a declaration requirement for animal products obtained without eliminating pain and for products obtained by force-feeding geese and ducks, which was also announced by the Federal Council. Nevertheless, TIR believes that an import ban would also be appropriate with regard to these products. It therefore appeals to the Council of States to accept the motion of National Councillor Martin Haab (SVP/ZH) for an import ban on foie gras produced in a cruel manner, despite the Federal Council's announcement, and thus to follow the National Council, which already approved the motion last year with a large majority (see news item of 1.3.2022 (in German)).

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