(seafood.com) European tropical tuna traders and industry members met in Brussels today to protect their economic interests, said Eurothon in a press release.
The Eurothon committee, led by president Juan Vieites who is also the secretary general of Spain's National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Seafood (ANFACO-CECOPESCA), held their 35th General Assembly meeting. The group strives to protect stakeholders in Europe's tuna industry as well as in African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) countries.
At the meeting, Eurothon discussed key issues that it hopes the European Commission (EC) will consider when implementing new policies for 2012.
One concern is the ongoing negotiations for a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union (EU) and the Pacific-ACP states (PACPs). In 2008, Papua New Guinea (PNG) requested to “global source” its processed fish products - an exemption from the standard Rules of Origin (RoO) that allows the country to source raw material from any vessel regardless of flag or where it was caught, as long as the final product is manufactured by a PACP-based processing facility. Eurothon is concerned this privilege would set a precedent for other trade agreements and says the EC-funded report on global sourcing needs to be further analyzed.
The group also addressed its position on various trade negotiations, including the upcoming talks with Vietnam. The country, it says, poses a “significant risk” due to its close proximity to Thailand and the availability of “cheap” labor.
Another issue that warrants attention is Ecuador's proposal to renew the duty-free access for its exported items to Europe. The GSP+ trade agreement, set to expire at the end of 2013, could motivate the Philippines to also seek a similar tariff break, which would be “extremely alarming,” according to Eurothon.
Eurothon is also keeping a close eye on China's participation in world fisheries. It aims to provide insight to the European Parliament, highlighting the “danger” of Chinese investments in PNG and observing the increased activity of the Chinese tuna fleet in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The group also opposes the proposed new requirements for product labeling. Revisions to the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, the framework which manages the fisheries in Europe, will be discussed in the European Parliament this year, and one of the recommendations is to establish standardized eco-labeling for fishery products.
Eurothon hopes today's meeting will “lay the groundwork to ensure the viability and competitiveness of the EU tuna industry.”