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.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
By the end of Q3/2025, Vietnam’s seafood industry recorded a clear recovery as a series of leading companies reported strong profits — some even achieving the highest results in their history. After several quarters struggling with high costs and weakened demand, the latest business results indicate a robust comeback across the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On November 12 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Embassy of the Netherlands, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, organized the Vietnam–Netherlands Business Forum under the theme “Shaping the future of sustainable aquaculture in the Mekong Delta.”
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