Spanish canners warn over tuna ‘threat’ in Thailand FTA talks

News 15:42 13/09/2014 502
Spanish canners association Anfaco-Cecopesca wants the Spanish government and the European commission to treat canned tuna as a ‘sensitive’ product under the EU-Thailand free trade agreement (FTA), which is currently in the early stages of negotiation, reported the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency newsletter.

The Spanish National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Seafood (Anfaco-Cecopesca) argues that duty-free imports of canned tuna from Thailand poses a great threat to the European canned tuna processing industry, and would jeopardize thousands of jobs in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy.

In mid-December, an FTA deal between the EU and Singapore included tuna as a sensitive product. “Given that Singapore is commercially insignificant in global tuna  processing, it seems likely that this was included as a precedent  for negotiations with Thailand,” wrote FFA.

According to Atuna, Anfaco has sought the support of Portugal and Azores in a joint statement calling for canned tuna to be excluded from the FTA. The Spanish congress reportedly supports this exclusion.

In addition, Anfaco is lobbying for strict rules of origin which would restrict Thailand’s potential for regional accumulation with other ASEAN members.

Anfaco is also calling for a framework that ensures a level playing field, whereby third countries exporting to the EU are subject to the same standards regarding labour, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, sustainability, food safety, health and hygiene, etc.

This position is reportedly supported by the EU’s Regional Council Advisory of the Long Distance Fleet (LDRAC) which acknowledges the sensitivity of the EU canned tuna sector.

Anfaco reported that LDRAC will present a concept paper to the EU which calls for the EU-Thai FTA to be subject to conditions relating to strict compliance with EU regulations and international conventions on social, labour, governance and environmental issues, which would be carefully monitored and controlled.

According to recent Globefish statistics, EU importers have been looking for cheaper alternatives to Asian canned tuna as prices rise, including products from ACP countries that have 0% import duty.

While EU imports of canned tuna from countries such as Mauritius, the Ivory Coast and Papua New Guinea were all up last year, imports from Asia, particularly from Thailand and the Philippines, dropped significantly.

According to Globefish, Ivory Coast exports of canned tuna to the EU increased by 31% last year, while exports from PNG were up 38.5%.

In contrast, exports from Thailand and the Philippines were down, by 44.3% and 7.8%, respectively.

That said, supplies from Africa this year could be disrupted as the EU has tightened up on shipments from West African countries suspected of engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

In May, this situation was said to have been particularly bad in the UK, where shipments from West Africa and mainly Ghana were said to be held in port due to authorities doubling-checking every container. Also in May, the EU gave an ultimatum to three tuna exporting African countries–Ghana, Ivory Coast and Kenya– to sign Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) by October 2014 or risk losing their privileged zero duty trade status tariffs.

Meanwhile, Thai shrimp exporters are hoping the EU extend tax privileges on imports, after disease halved local production late last year. The Thais are not the only ones to be concerned. Sources told Undercurrent at the beginning of 2013 that importers and retailers in the EU are looking at alternatives for supply.

Bạn đang đọc bài viết Spanish canners warn over tuna ‘threat’ in Thailand FTA talks tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

Strengthen control over fishing vessels and trace the origin of harvested seafood.

 |  09:34 21/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.

Tilapia Exports Surge but Begin to Slow in June

 |  14:45 20/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.

Sa Giang Honored with "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" Certification

 |  14:48 18/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).

China has become the largest importer of Vietnamese seafood.

 |  12:47 17/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.

International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program at Vietfish 2026: Connecting Global Buyers with Vietnam's Value-Added Seafood Supply Hub

 |  17:35 16/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.

Sustainable seafood solutions: ESG vision & net zero commitment at Vietfish 2026

 |  08:45 16/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.

Pangasius industry shifts from volume growth to value creation

 |  10:21 14/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.

Vietnamese tuna maintains momentum in Sweden, but the market Is becoming more unpredictable

 |  08:55 12/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.

China’s rising shrimp imports: Expanding opportunities amid intensifying competition

 |  08:56 10/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.

Lobster is on its way to becoming a billion-dollar commodity.

 |  08:18 08/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.

VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM

Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội

Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO

Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu

Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn

Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn

VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

© Copyright 2020 - Mọi hình thức sao chép phải được sự chấp thuận bằng văn bản của VASEP

DANH MỤC