At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday 24 June, the Lithuanian delegation, supported by several other countries (other Baltic States and Sweden), denounced Russia’s fishing activities, which are affecting herring, cod and sprat stocks, and called for restrictions on Russian fish imports.
According to these countries, “We are very concerned by the fact that fish caught in the Baltic Sea, including cod, originating from Russia, may enter the EU single market”. These countries are asking that Russia be banned from selling its fishery products on the EU’s single market (see EUROPE 13436/14).
Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, acknowledged that Russia is not respecting the rules, which is having an effect on eastern cod stocks. He encouraged EU countries to adopt national bans, as the Netherlands has done (ban on Russian vessels). He also asked the ministers for their views on possible EU trade sanctions against fishery products from Russia.
France took the view that Russian products from unsustainable fishing should be banned in the EU. Germany called for an assessment of the effects of restrictive measures and sanctions against Russia regarding fishery products.
In Poland’s view, further restrictions on imports should be considered cautiously, after consulting with fishermen. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur and Paul Charles (trainee))