EU Study Into The “Papua Danger” Kicks Offff

Source: La Opinion de Coruna

In recent months, leaders in the European tuna canning industry, mostly based in Galicia, Spain, have been warning the EU Community authorities about the “danger” of the agreement between the European Union and Pacific countries like Papua New Guinea. The European Parliament’s Fishery Commission has responded to the canning industry’s complaints by requesting the European Commission to draw up a report about the future impact this agreement may have on the EC industry.

According to Juan Manuel Vieites, secretary general of ANFACO (Spanish National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Seafood), Brussels has already commissioned the study to consultants and the survey has taken off. Researchers arrived to Galicia a few days ago to collect data on the situation of the Spanish and EU tuna industry, Vieites confirmed. Furthermore, they will visit Papua New Guinea to assess the country’s sustainability of the marine sources, its environmental and economic situation, as well as the health process applied for the production of tuna.

The study is expected to be completed by next April-May and will be combined with the report which ANFACO is also putting together “to assess the already ‘catastrophic’ consequences and social impact of this agreement, which not only enables PNG’s duty free access to the EU, but also exempts this country to comply with the rules of origin imposed by the EU for the export of canned tuna from PNG”.

For months, ANFACO has been disputing that such an exemption to comply with the rules of origin will enable PNG to become a platform for the massive entry of canned tuna originating from major global industry competing countries such as Thailand and the United States into the EU market. According to ANFACO, these competitors will set up factory in PNG so that their companies can take advantage of the benefits of the agreement and increase their exports to the EU on preferential terms.

Last year, the European Parliament gave green light to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Pacific countries, which include PNG.

According to ANFACO, this agreement was signed “despite the concerns of the fisheries sector to the destabilizing effect that could arise by cancelling the rules of origin for processed fishery products”. Also, “despite approving the agreement, the European Parliament requested that the special measures concerning the rules of origin be reversed in the case that the assessment report would show a destabilizing effect on the processing industry and fish canning in the EU”.

The Community canning industry is hopeful that the study initiated by the EU will neutralize the “danger” it has been alerting about during the past months and is confident that the EC will finally agree to its demand to eliminate the benefits the deal offers its competitors.

In regard to this issue, also interesting to read on atuna.com is: VIGO: The Battle For Jobs And “Origin Tuna”?