On Thursday 2 May, the NGOs Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) and Oceana, and the organisations Europêche and Anfaco Copesca called on the European Commission to remain active in guaranteeing a “sustainable, safe and legal” fishing industry in Thailand.
This appeal comes at a time when the EU and Thailand are negotiating a free trade agreement (see EUROPE 13142/29).
“The Commission must remain vigilant and ensure that the EU’s trade aspirations strengthen rather than undermine its anti-IUU fishing policies, nor provide trade facilities to Thailand under these circumstances”, according to a letter from these organisations sent to the Commission.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/c2a
The ‘Market Advisory Council’ (an EU body) has highlighted the risk of trade distortions created by differences between the EU and Thailand on social, economic and environmental sustainability standards, and has called for tuna to be considered a sensitive product and excluded from trade negotiations.
The Thai authorities have brought their fishing regulations into line with international best practice, and the Commission’s yellow card, issued in 2015, was lifted in 2019. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)