The Record: Europe

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9 May edition Lucy Thomas Producer

MEPs vote for ban on seal products

MEPs have been sitting for their last full session before the European elections next month.

Before they left, they voted through a European ban on seal products - which has been hailed as an historic moment by Europe's animal rights campaigners.

But seal fur traders from places like Canada, claim that this legislation will "kill them".

Joining Shirin Wheeler in the studio to discuss the result are:

• Diana Wallis MEP, who drafted the Parliament's report on the trade in seal products;

• Arlene McCarthy MEP, the British Labour chair of the Parliament's EU internal market committee;

• And Carl Schlyter MEP, the Swedish Green who sits on the Parliament's environment committee.

The discussion in full

Also on the programme

A review of the term

We take a look at how the Parliament has changed over its last five-year term, the effects of having MEPs from ten new member states, and changes in the way agreements are reached with EU governments.

Shirin speaks to the author of a new report assessing the changes, Sara Hageman from the Brussels-based think tank, the European Policy Centre.

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The Record: Europe examines the key moments in the political week in Brussels and Strasbourg and focuses on the work of the European Parliament and European Commission.

<i>It is broadcast on BBC Parliament on Saturdays at 2300 GMT, Sundays at 1700 GMT and Mondays at 1000 GMT, on BBC World on Saturdays at 1330 GMT and Sundays at 0630 GMT and on the BBC News channel on Sundays at 0530 GMT and Mondays at 0330 GMT.</i>