After leading tough negotiations to get a better supply of raw material for the European and Spanish canned tuna processing industry, the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Shellfish (Anfaco-Cecopesca) reported that the European Commission (EC) approved an annual 22,000 tonne duty free tuna loin quota for the period 2013-2015.
This volume shall apply from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2015, under the regulation establishing autonomous tariff quotas for certain fishery products.
In the period between 2010 and 2012, the industry received a quota of 15,000 tonnes of tuna loins with a 6 per cent duty.
"To achieve the increase in this quota, Anfaco-Cecopesca has done important work, leading this demand of the community processing and canning industry in the area of the EU Fish Processors and Traders Association (AIPCE)," the entity informed.
While Anfaco believes "this quota does not quite cover the needs of raw material of the Spanish and EU processing industry," it highlighted the actions of the Spanish government before the EU institutions to defend the need to improve the design of this quota.
It also mentioned the support of organizations representing the Italian and Portuguese tuna processing and canning industry, "countries which, along with Spain, account for 90 per cent of total production of canned tuna."
The Spanish employers remember that in recent years, the canned tuna market was significantly liberalized based on the EU trade policy "designed to facilitate the access of third country products to [the EU] market," on preferential terms by signing FTAs between Brussels and third countries.
The canned tuna processing industry from Spain accounts for 70 per cent of the European production. In addition, this country is the second largest producer in the world, after Thailand.
Spanish canning industry produces more than 350,000 tonnes of canned seafood per year and 65 per cent of the total is canned tuna.
Tuna exports continue to lead Spanish foreign shipments of canned seafood, representing 65 per cent of the total volume and value exported. The main markets are Italy, France, Portugal, United Kingdom and Germany.