These tuna canners have requested the European Commission in the Philippines to delay the effect of a certification scheme for all imported fishery products entering the European Union (EU) starting January 1 next year. Francisco Buencamino, executive director of the Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines (Tcap), informed that the regulation on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, will make it more costly for tuna canners to export tuna to EU.
He briefs the press saying that the certification scheme will really cost us [as] the requirements are stringent. He estimated that production cost would go up by 15 percent if the certification scheme is implemented by the EU. According to him EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council has adopted a regulation last year under which EU importers of processed tuna products will have to submit a statement issued by the processing company of the exporting country, providing information establishing the link between the processed products and the fish used as raw material.
It is mentioned that the raw material should be accompanied by the catch certificates validated by the flag state of the fishing vessel. The number of health certificates and the approval number of the processing plant will have to be mentioned in the statement to ensure a link with the implementation of health legislation. According to the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council the certification process aims to halt the import of IUU fishery products into the EU. Buencamino opined that the scheme would add to the difficulties of the tuna canners. For one, tuna canners have increased their tuna imports by 30 percent as local tuna became more expensive.
Tcap expressed confidence that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) and the Trade department will endorse their request. Bfar director Malcolm Sarmiento said he has yet to see the request from Tcap.
