EU-lidstaten het onderling eens over inzet internationale onderhandelingen over walvisjacht (en)
For the first time in the history of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) the European Union has succeeded in developing a common position on the IWC’s operating principles.
This pertains in particular to its decision-making and financing process on the basis of a proposal submitted to the forum by Great Britain.
The landmark agreement was achieved in the course of a discussion conducted by the Polish Presidency — the Polish IWC Commissioner on behalf of the Environment Ministry and Deputy Commissioner on behalf of the Foreign Ministry.
Up until now, differences amongst EU Member States on managing whale populations and the scope of their protection had made it impossible to achieve a common EU stand.
The common position of EU states was worked out at the 63rd meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC63), held on 11th-14th July on the Isle of Jersey (UK). The changes jointly proposed by the EU are intended, among other things, to narrow the possibility of paying annual membership dues exclusively by bank transfer from the account of States Parties to the Convention.
The changes being introduced should make it possible in future to avoid charges of abuse surfacing up till recently in connection with last-minute dues payments in cash which entitled the dues payer to vote in the IWC forum. The impossibility of properly verifying the source of dues payments up till now had caused controversies among the public and IWC members alike.
The proposal, which won the backing of all IWC members after modifications had been introduced, will make it possible to make public the documents worked out in the course of deliberations and increase the participation of observers at the sessions.
The suspicion that the participation of certain states in the work of the IWC was being sponsored by other states wanting to influence the IWC forum’s decisions had harmed the organisation’s reputation and for several years had made discussion on protecting whales impossible.
The consensus achieved by the Polish Presidency within a group of Member States has been successfully transplanted to the forum of the entire IWC, marking a key step towards modernisation and future cooperation in the IWC forum.