The European Union has opened negotiations for fish and seafood exports to the EU from its non-EU, EuroMed partner countries which include Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. Libya has had observer status since 1999.
The long-term aim, reports Peter O'Neill from Barcelona, is a free trade zone by 2010, foreseen in the Barcelona Declaration of 1995 which set up EuroMed. The talks will cover trade in fresh and processed agricultural and fisheries products "as well as non-trade aspects such as rural development, technical barriers to trade, sanitary issues and quality policy. They must also take account of the particular sensitivity of certain products in both the EU and the EuroMed countries," EU officials said.
The announcement was clearly timed for the Summit for the 10th anniversary of EuroMed, on 27-28 November, in Barcelona. But eight non-EU heads of state from the South failed to turn up. Prime Ministers Zapatero of Spain and Blair of the UK focused on terror issues.
But Europarl President Josep Borrell castigated the rich governments. He said "Inequality is greater between the two shores of the Mediterranean than anywhere else in the world." He agreed, when asked by World Fishing, that the social divide had to be closed with particular focus on people such as the fishing communities in the South so they could earn a better living selling their own value-added seafood into the rich EU.
There are going to be problems of cheaper products from the EuroMed countries which may affect EU fishermen and growers. EU Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel had already hedged her bets when she said about the talks: " Of course, we must proceed gradually and take account of the genuine sensitivities surrounding certain products".
What is sure, is that a number of the non-EU partner countries with good fish stocks will want to keep as much as possible of value-added processing on their own shores and vessels. The talks offer them a chance to move away from supplying basic material to EU companies and from letting EU country fleets fish in their waters for raw product.
Joe Borg, Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs commenting on the talk announcement said: "I believe that trade liberalisation in fisheries products will bring economic benefits and will help strengthen co-operation in ensuring sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean".
