By atuna.com
The Eurothon group of tuna producers informed the European Commission yesterday that it should stop granting special treatment to disadvantaged countries in order to “preserve the competitiveness and employment†of the EU tuna industry, according to the organization’s April 17 press release.
The group addressed the European Union’s (EU) interim pact with Papua New Guinea (PNG), and said the “poor social conditions†in PNG plants should not “justify†the Pacific island nation’s exemption from the standard rules of origin. Under the agreement, PNG can source raw material from a foreign flagged vessel and declare it as its product as long as it has been processed by a PNG facility.
Eurothon commissioned the PNG-based consulting firm, Nancy Sullivan & Associates, to write a report in 2011 that assessed the social, economic and environmental impact of the EU-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement. Nancy Sullivan is an anthropologist, who describes herself as an “activist in Papua New Guinea†on her Twitter profile. Although Sullivan gave a speech on the report at ANFACO 2011 tuna conference in Vigo, the report was never made public.
According to Eurothon, the report points out poor social conditions in PNG plants and the denial of workers’ basic rights such as trade-union membership, overtime pay, and wages below the national minimum wage.
However, the above findings are misleading. This past fall, social accountability assessments, funded by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, were conducted at the PNG processing plants and found the workplace conditions were often far better than the living standards at home. Air conditioning, a provided daily lunch, and access to clean drinking water and shower facilities were observed, in addition to hygienic work environments. All PNG tuna factories have paid workers the national minimum wage since January 2011, and have paid overtime.
Eurothon is concerned the PNG’s exemption sets a precedent for future negotiations and sees the country as a “major competitor†in the future, according to its statement. The group says the EC should “return the balance of the global tuna industry by restoring rules of origin.â€
The tuna industry members also addressed other upcoming trade agreements, including the launch of EU negotiations with Vietnam and the ongoing discussions with Ecuador. Eurothon asked the EC to refrain from giving tax breaks on countries’ exports and to once again, enforce the rules of origin.
Eurothon members also opposed the suggested new rules for fishery product labels. In 2012, the European Parliament will consider establishing standardized eco-labeling, which would require labels to indicate the commercial name of the species, the method of production, and the area where the product was harvested or farmed. Eurothon said these requirements are “too complex for the tuna industry†and “do not provide useful information to consumers.â€
Eurothon represents both the tuna fleet, the canning and processing industry in Europe.