Source & Author: FIS Worldnews
ANFACO-CECOPESCA was visited by a delegation of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, led by its Vice-President, Werner Kuhn, of the European People’s Party.
During the meeting, the MEPs were told about the current situation, future prospects and main problems of the Sea-Food Cluster, represented by ANFACO-CECOPESCA, and of the canning and processing industrial sector of fishery and aquaculture products.
Cannery industry representatives emphasized the need to ensure the supply of raw material for the seafood processing industry (preserves, semi-preserves, frozen, smoked, salted etc.), considered as a fundamental factor for the competitiveness of the fish and shellfish canning and processing industry.
For the sector, to ensure a stable supply of raw material under competitive conditions for the fish and shellfish canning and processing industry in Spain according to its needs and throughout its activity, is a vital aspect to enable the industry compete in the international market with the maximum guarantees.
Likewise, the situation of the various EU trade negotiations with third countries was also analyzed. The aim was to make the European Parliament aware of the importance of the measures to be taken, in particular when negotiating trade agreements with third countries, to be globally consistent and to lay the foundations for ensuring the EU viability and competitiveness of the canning and tuna industry.
On the other hand, the parliamentary delegation was updated with the actions carried out by the Traceability Observatory. Since its implementation, this initiative has developed important actions to demand the need for a true level playing field, which enables Galician, Spanish and EU operators to compete in the EU market on an equal basis with the products of third countries, guaranteeing the consumer the strict compliance of the hygienic-sanitary, environmental, social and sustainability conditions of canned tuna and its raw material.
As regards the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the need for a firm claim was communicated to the European Parliament to ensure that the European Commission implements it uniformly in all Member States. In addition, the sector called for a minimum percentage of verification of imports of processed products from third countries and greater transparency with regard to the criteria used to award or lift IUU fishing cards.
Finally, MEPs were informed about the position of Anfaco-Cecopesca with regard to Mediterranean mussel PDO, considering that its objective scope, as established in the Community Product Specification, is that of the fresh mussel.