BETA


2006/2016(DCE) Declaration on rising international concern over the farming of bear bile in China

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 136_

Events

2006/01/17
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a Declaration on rising international concern over the farming of bear bile in China.

The Parliament recalls that 7 002 Asiatic Black Bears (Moon Bears) are currently 'milked' for their bile in China and notes that these bears are endangered, featuring in the list in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Moreover, it stresses that new 'humane' bile extraction methods continue to cause agonising suffering and the death of bears on Chinese farms, with at least one new method directly contravening new regulations.

The Parliament welcomes the acknowledgement by eminent practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine of the existence of at least 54 herbal alternatives to bear bile, together with a synthetic version, as well as the action taken by the Chinese Government since 2000 in closing over 40 bear farms and confiscating 188 bears into the care of the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF). However, it notes the serious concern, internationally and within the Chinese media, public and Government, at the fact that such a cruel and uncivilised practice exists.

In this context, the Parliament calls on the Chinese Government to take account of this grave worldwide concern as the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach, by taking a clear stance on bear farming, initiating a countrywide ban forthwith on the breeding of bears on farms and setting a time-limit for the ending of bear farming. Moreover, it requests that the Chinese Government liaise with the AAF in accelerating the closure of all bear farms through programmes benefiting bears currently held captive and farmers reliant on the industry and calls for cooperation with the AAF in developing far-reaching education programmes to deter consumers of bear bile.

Documents
2006/01/17
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

events/0
date
2006-01-17T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2006-0008_EN.html title: T6-0008/2006
summary
events/0
date
2006-01-17T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2006-0008_EN.html title: T6-0008/2006
summary
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 136_
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 136
events/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2006-8
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2006-0008_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2006-01-17T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2006-8 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0008/2006 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
committees
    events
    • date: 2006-01-17T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2006-8 title: T6-0008/2006 summary: The European Parliament adopted a Declaration on rising international concern over the farming of bear bile in China. The Parliament recalls that 7 002 Asiatic Black Bears (Moon Bears) are currently 'milked' for their bile in China and notes that these bears are endangered, featuring in the list in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Moreover, it stresses that new 'humane' bile extraction methods continue to cause agonising suffering and the death of bears on Chinese farms, with at least one new method directly contravening new regulations. The Parliament welcomes the acknowledgement by eminent practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine of the existence of at least 54 herbal alternatives to bear bile, together with a synthetic version, as well as the action taken by the Chinese Government since 2000 in closing over 40 bear farms and confiscating 188 bears into the care of the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF). However, it notes the serious concern, internationally and within the Chinese media, public and Government, at the fact that such a cruel and uncivilised practice exists. In this context, the Parliament calls on the Chinese Government to take account of this grave worldwide concern as the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach, by taking a clear stance on bear farming, initiating a countrywide ban forthwith on the breeding of bears on farms and setting a time-limit for the ending of bear farming. Moreover, it requests that the Chinese Government liaise with the AAF in accelerating the closure of all bear farms through programmes benefiting bears currently held captive and farmers reliant on the industry and calls for cooperation with the AAF in developing far-reaching education programmes to deter consumers of bear bile.
    • date: 2006-01-17T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure EP 136
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 136
      procedure/subject
      Old
      • 3.10.04.02 Animal protection
      New
      3.10.04.02
      Animal protection
      procedure/type
      Old
      DCE - Written declaration
      New
      DCE - Written declaration (historic)
      activities
      • date: 2006-01-17T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2006-8 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0008/2006 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          reference
          2006/2016(DCE)
          title
          Declaration on rising international concern over the farming of bear bile in China
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 136
          stage_reached
          Procedure completed
          type
          DCE - Written declaration
          subject
          3.10.04.02 Animal protection