The Green Party has welcomed the resolution adopted today by the European Parliament calling for Iceland to stop all whaling as a prerequisite to joining the European Union.
The resolution also calls for Iceland to drop the reservation it has lodged with the International Whaling Commission.
The call was made as part of an amendment to a resolution on Iceland's application to join the European Union tabled by the Green/EFA group.
Jean Lambert, the Green Party's MEP for London, said today: "This is a big victory for all those who have campaigned long and hard against the premeditated, deliberate and unnecessary practice of whaling.
"The resolution sends a strong signal to Iceland that if they are serious about membership of the European Union, they must respect international standards. I hope that Iceland will now join the rest of the EU in seeking to put an end to this inhumane practice in the rest of the world.
"Such a positive result follows the positive outcome of the talks at the International Whaling Commission, where the ban was crucially upheld. It's important that we act now to capitalise on this wave of international condemnation and stand together to put pressure on those countries who continue to practice this barbaric slaughter of animals."