The European Commission is denying reports by seafood industry media and local Thai media that Thailand has been given an extension to the deadline for demonstrating it has made efforts to control Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“No extension indeed. It was only false stories coming from Thai press,” said a spokesman for the European Commission on the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
The story, originally reported by the Bangkok Post and later picked up by various industry media, cited a Thai government spokesman by name who said a Thai delegation in Brussels was informed that Thailand would have an extension on the deadline.
In April, the commission issued a “yellow card” warning to Thailand, saying the country had six months to demonstrate it was making an effort to control IUU fishing in its waters, or face seafood-related trade sanctions from the EU.
That gives Thailand until the end of October, and the spokesman said today that so far, nothing has changed.
“The dialogue with Thailand is ongoing and the commission is working on a permanent basis with the Thai authorities,” the spokesman wrote. “At this point in time, the commission has not taken any decision yet and cannot envisage the outcome of the analysis.”
