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Imports
of seafood into the UK are strictly regulated and monitored to ensure
that fishery products reaching European borders are of the standard
expected by European consumers. As part of this process measures can be
imposed by the European Commission, ranging in severity from increased
checks to an outright ban, which UK seafood businesses need to be aware
of, warns Seafish.
“These are safeguard measures which can involve costs for the
importer,” said Ivan Bartolo, Seafish. “Experience has shown that
restrictions may be applied with very short notice, leaving importers
with an unexpected laboratory bill to pay or, worse still, having their
consignment turned away at the border. Over the last few months the
European Commission has introduced a series of these.”
The newer restrictions affect fishery products from Fiji, Eritrea
and Gabon. There is now an outright ban on imports from Fiji and two
importers in Eritrea have been stopped. Fishery products from Gabon now
have to be tested for heavy metals and sulphites at the Border
Inspection Posts (BIPs) in Europe.
This is on top of the longer standing conditions affecting fish
imports from China, Albania, Indonesia, Surinam and Guinea. Fishery
products from Guinea were banned completely in February 2007 and smoked
fish from Surinam has been banned since early 2007. In the case of
China and Albania there is a requirement for analytical checks in the
country of origin. China has to provide test results proving the
absence of residues of four veterinary medicines in aquaculture
products, and Albania has to prove compliance with histamine criteria
in susceptible species of fish.
Where there is a requirement for the imported goods to be tested in
Europe on arrival at the BIP, it is the importer who pays for the
checks, with the goods held until the results become available. This is
the case for Indonesian imports which all have to be checked for heavy
metals, and in addition some species have to be checked for histamine.
It is expected that these measures will be relaxed shortly to exclude
products of aquaculture.
“It is necessary to be aware of these restrictions. Delays at BIPs
and extra tests are costly to importers. Import restrictions are also
unwelcome at the BIPs themselves. BIP managers need to ensure that they
have storage capacity for the detained consignments and access to
laboratory capacity to deal with the extra tests.
“The Food Standard Agency (FSA) publishes Fishery Information Notes,
available from the FSA website, with information on impending
restrictions. The Seafish Legislation Alert page on the Seafish
Business to Business site (www.seafish.org/B2B) is also regularly updated with advance warnings of restrictions,” said Ivan.
The Seafish Legislation team advises the industry on its current
legal requirements and engages with government on any proposed changes
to legislation affecting the seafood industry.
For more information contact:
Ivan Bartolo, Legislation Dept, Seafish
E:
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T: 01472 252300
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