Brussels, 12 March 2024
Today, the Commission has launched a public consultation on ways to better protect and manage sharks and related marine ecosystems, to help prepare follow-up to the European Citizens’ Initiative “Stop Finning – Stop the Trade”. It will be available online for a period of twelve weeks, until 4 June 2024.
Today’s public consultation follows the call for evidence launched on 22 February 2024 to collect data and expertise on a potential ban on exports and imports of loose shark fins as well as their sales within the EU market.
The feedback received from the public consultation and the call for evidence will feed into an ongoing impact assessment, which will inform future action.
Commissioner Sinkevičius said:
“The European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop Finning – Stop the Trade’ gathered more than one million signatures. While assessing environmental, social and economic impacts of measures that could improve shark protection, we seek views of a wider public, to make sure that the Commission’s response to this initiative is the best possible one.”
You can find more information online.
Source – EU Commission