Spain’s National Association of Canned Fish & Shellfish Manufacturers (Anfaco) is calling on European Union Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki to protect its members against “unfair competition” from canned tuna imported from Thailand.
Juan Manuel Vieites, head of Anfaco, recently pointed to allegations of dumping in American Samoa. In May, U.S. Rep. Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to open an antidumping investigation on canned tuna imported from Thailand, suggesting that Thai exporters are selling tuna in the U.S. market below cost or fair market value, an illegal practice called “dumping.”
Vieites stressed that Spain is Europe’s leading canned-tuna producer, with 67 percent of the EU market. “It feels the biggest hurt,” he said.
Anfaco is insisting that European producers require health certificates and tracking information “not respected by competitors such as the Asians, where sometimes even the raw material has been captured illegally.”
Anfaco is also concerned about the proposed repeal of country-of-origin labeling requirements for tuna products, which are part of ongoing trade talks between the EU and Asia-Pacific nations.
Vieites received Damanaki’s commitment to “a balanced direction” as “good news” and a sign that she’s showing more sensitivity toward European canners.
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