The European Commission has published a proposal for a Council Decision setting the EU's position for the next three meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), including inter-sessional meetings. The annex, dated 2 July 2026, outlines a unified EU stance aimed at strengthening whale conservation and management globally.
The proposal supports maintaining the moratorium on commercial whaling and calls for bringing all whaling operations under IWC control. It opposes new types of whaling that could undermine the moratorium or threaten whale stocks, and seeks to end whaling outside IWC oversight, including non-compliant scientific research whaling. The EU also promotes non-lethal scientific research and transparent IWC review of special permits. On aboriginal subsistence whaling, the position supports practices that ensure conservation, humane methods, and indigenous needs. Additionally, the EU backs the creation of whale sanctuaries in line with IWC rules and aims to develop the IWC's role in cetacean conservation, including ecosystem functions and climate regulation. The proposal also advances non-lethal human-cetacean interaction frameworks, monitors health and welfare threats to cetaceans, and improves welfare standards. Governance improvements include enhanced transparency, accountability, and compliance mechanisms, as well as strengthened dialogue and cooperation with civil society.
The proposal, which will be discussed by the Council, is expected to be adopted before the next IWC meetings. It reflects the EU's commitment to marine conservation and may lead to tensions with whaling nations such as Japan, Norway, and Iceland, which have opposed the moratorium and conducted scientific whaling. The EU's stance could also affect indigenous communities that rely on subsistence whaling, though the proposal explicitly supports such practices under strict conditions. Environmental NGOs are likely to welcome the strong conservation measures, while industry stakeholders in whaling nations may view the position as restrictive. The proposal is a significant policy development affecting multiple stakeholders, with implications for global whale conservation and international fisheries governance.