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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 27th May 2014
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Ban on seal hunting products upheld
seal
The RSPCA said it is "delighted" that the ban on importing seal products has been upheld.
RSPCA welcomes WTO decision to reject appeal

Animal welfare organisations have welcomed a decision by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to uphold a ban on the import of products of the seal hunting industry.

An EU ban in 2010 prohibited the trade in items such as seal pelts, oil and meat, including those from Canada, Namibia and Norway.

In response to the decision, the Canadian and Norwegian governments challenged the ban. However, the four-year ban on seal fur will be upheld after the WTO rejected the appeal.

RSPCA head of public affairs David Bowles said: "This is an historic decision - it is the first time that a moral defence has been upheld in entirety and that in itself is game changing…

"We hope this landmark ruling will now give governments greater confidence to pursue and agree measures to improve animal welfare, including trade bans".

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.