Europêche is the European leading representative body for the fishing sector.
Europêche
Europêche and the European Commission have engaged in dialogue to ensure fair market conditions for European seafood producers in the ongoing trade negotiations with Thailand and North Atlantic partners.
The European organisation aims to identify measures to ensure that the competitiveness, sustainability, and social standards of the fisheries sector are not undermined by trade liberalisation.
During a meeting with the Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade, María Martin-Prat, and her team responsible for Asia and trade policy coordination, Javier Garat, President of Europêche, stated: "The EU cannot continue to tighten sustainability obligations for its own fleets while granting duty-free access to products caught or processed under much lower environmental and social conditions."
On the contrary, he called for more effective coordination between DG TRADE and DG MARE to ensure that the same sustainability and social standards that underpin the EU's fisheries policy are upheld and that a true level playing field is guaranteed.
In the case of Thailand, Europêche calls for rules to be limited solely to wholly obtained tuna and for cumulative rules to be excluded, as well as for strengthened traceability and origin labelling so that European consumers can know the true source of imported tuna, among other measures.
Likewise, the organisation called on the Commission to secure tariff exemptions equivalent to the US 15% duty for key European exports such as bluefin tuna, scallops, and hake, ensuring a level playing field and fair competition on both sides of the Atlantic.
While the extension of reciprocal fishing access until 2038 under the EU–UK agreement was welcomed, Europêche also denounced the new restrictions in Marine Protected Areas. These measures, first implemented in Scottish waters and now planned for southern UK waters, reportedly affect European vessels “disproportionately.”
Moreover, it has denounced the quota increases implemented by Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Russia on key pelagic stocks, which have resulted in overfishing and a 70% reduction in mackerel catches for the coming year.
Finally, the organisation has welcomed a potential fisheries agreement with Morocco, which promotes science-based sustainable management and food security, positioning the African country as a strategic partner.