Trade for all? What is the EU Trade
policy doing for you?
"It is clear Europeans want trade to deliver real economic results for consumers, workers and small companies.
However, they also believe open markets do not require us to compromise on core principles, like human rights and sustainable
development around the world or high quality safety and environmental regulation and public services at home. They also want to
know more about trade negotiations carried out in their name. In this new strategy, "Trade for All", the Commission is adapting its
approach to trade policy to take all of these lessons on board."
Cecilia Malmström, EU Trade Commissioner
FOR ALL:
❶ Promotion of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
Did you know that the EU negotiates provisions in its Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with third countries on trade and sustainable development
including the good management of fisheries resources and the fight against IUU fishing?
❷ Support for development
Did you know that the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) is a
pro-development trade scheme supporting the development of 89
developing countries? Additional support is provided to countries which are
committed to implement international human rights, labour rights,
environment and good governance conventions. Developing countries,
which benefit from this extra support (so-called GSP+) or from the
"Everything But Arms" arrangement, can export fish to the EU duty free.
❸ Good governance and transparency
Did you know that with the new Communication "Trade for All", the
European Commission commits to publishing key negotiating texts from all
trade negotiations, as it is already done in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations?
FOR THE EU CITIZENS AND CONSUMERS:
❶ Better access to affordable and sustainable fish
Did you know that 55,5 % of the fish consumed in the EU comes from imports from third countries. Thanks to the agreements with third
countries, the EU imports a large share of its fish duty free allowing consumers to buy fish at a cheaper price.
❷ Food safety
Did you know that Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are in place to protect human, animal and plant life or health, from potential
risks of imported seafood.
❸ Information on products and market
Did you know that EUMOFA (the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products) provides access within a few clicks to a
wealth of information such as the origin or the price of different fish.
FOR THE EU BUSINESSES:
❶ Access to new markets both for exporters and importers
Top 10 world importers of fish (Source: FAO)
Did you know that the EU is currently negotiating trade agreements with
the two biggest fish markets in the world, namely Japan and the US? In its
negotiations with third countries, the EU is looking for the right balance
between liberalising trade in fisheries and protecting the most sensitive
segments of the EU industry.
❷ Access to fish raw materials for further processing
Did you know that every three years the EU opens about 25 duty free or
reduced tariff quotas for specific fisheries products imported into the EU ("ATQ regulation")?
The main objective of this Regulation is to ensure a steady supply of raw and semi-processed
fishery and aquaculture products to the EU processing industry.
❸ Information on and resolution of market access issues
Did you know that the Market Access Strategy aims at tackling import barriers in third countries
that are in breach of international trade rules? One of the tools is the Market Access Database
(MADB), which provides information to companies exporting from the EU about import conditions
in third country markets.
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/
Nicolas DROSS (nicolas.dross@ec.europa.eu)
European Commission, DG TRADE
February 2016