Back to news article list

Spain Mobilizes Against Possible EU Duty Reduction Asian Canned Tunaff

15 January 2003 Spain

The entrance of Philippines and Thailand tuna in Spain is seriously threatening Galician canneries and could cause an economical crisis for Galicia, according to tuna industrialists in Spain.

The Spanish canning sector has started intensive procedures to prevent the approval of reduced tariff for Asian canned tuna in the European Union.

According to the National Association of Canned Fish and Shellfish Producers (Anfaco) this possibility of a tuna reduction is being analyzed in the World Trade Organization (WTO) where a process has been initiated to determine if the quota of 25,000 tons of finished product will be allowed to enter into the EU at the reduced tariff of 12%.

Anfaco is fully against accepting this proposal and has therefore conveyed its opinion to the different Spanish and Communitarian administrations.

According to the Galician sector, the entry of Philippine and Thailand canned tuna will cause severe damages to the European transforming industry, but most especially to Galicia, region which is highly dependant of the fishing sector and is already facing difficult times as a result of the Prestige oil tanker adversity.  The tariff reduction could aggravate the economic crisis of the region and seriously harm the EU recommended investments made by these industries –mostly Galician- in third countries of Latin America. It could also damage the Spanish tuna fleet, which –with majority Galician capital- represents more than 15% of the worldwide captures.