EU starts legal proceedings against Finland over wolf hunting and snuff sales

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The European Commission has brought legal action against Finland in the Court of Justice of the European Communities over issues of wolf hunting and the sale of oral snuff or smokeless tobacco.
      In the wolf-hunting case, the government in Helsinki received the official complaint on Monday. The Commission decided on the commencement of legal proceedings against Finland already in January of this year.
      EU environmental legislation demands that the endangered wolf be firmly protected. Killing it knowingly is strictly prohibited, save for a few exceptions.
      However, according to the European Commission, Finland allows the systematic hunting of wolves. Hunting permits are allocated based on quotas, and the killing of wolves is allegedly not restricted to individuals that are harmful.
      Finland has a month to respond to the complaint.
     
At the same time, the country is in hot water with Brussels over failing to supervise sales of smokeless tobacco. The Commission is taking Finland to the Court of Justice for neglect of the EU-wide oral snuff sales ban.
      According to the Commission findings, Finland has not taken satisfactory measures to secure that oral snuff is not sold on vessels registered in Finland and the Åland Islands. Furthermore, Finland has not enforced the ban on snuff sales in Åland itself.
      The legislation in mainland Finland has banned the sale of smokeless tobacco for some years, but in Åland there is no law against it.
      Finland received an indictment on Monday. The Government has one month to reply.
      Sweden is the only EU member-state with an exceptional licence to sell oral snuff, known there as "snus". The country negotiated the dispensation before joining the EU in 1995, at the same time as Finland also became a member.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Commissioner gets death threat over Finnish wolf hunting controversy (6.5.2005)
  Åland smokeless tobacco dispute could bring Finland before EC court (7.8.2003)

Helsingin Sanomat