EC freezes entry of RP aquaculture shipments to Europe

The European Commission (EC) will temporarily suspend starting today the entry of Philippine aquaculture shipments to the European market following "insufficient guarantees" presented by Philippine authorities about the monitoring of contaminants and harmful substances in aquaculture products.

The temporary suspension was reached even as the EC delegation in Manila tried to appeal the Philippines’ case during a special review.

Deputy Head of the EC delegation to the Philippines Luc Vandebon clarified that the temporary suspension is not a trade issue, but a food safety issue.

"The monitoring of residues in live animals or animal products is clearly a food safety issue,not a trade issue, and it is being taken very seriously by Commission authorities to protect consumer health," Vandebon said.

The temporary suspension may stay until the third quarter of the year or until the EC reviews a recently submitted report by the government.

The temporary suspension is a result of the Philippines’ failure in March 2002 to submit a required Residue Monitoring plan for the year 2003.

The EC notified Philippine authorities about the non-compliance in November 2002 and again the Philippines was not able to submit a complete report.

Another notification was made by the EC on May 21 this year about the still incomplete report and only then did the Philippines submit a report.

" A council directive on residue monitoring requires all EU member countries, as well as third countries exporting animals and animal products into the UE, to submit their national monitoring plans for the detection of residues or substances by March 31 of each year," Vandebon said.

Vandebon pointed out that the EC has been "unusually flexible" with the Philippines’ case, allowing the entry of two out of three aquaculture imports into the EU since the directive had not yet been formally adopted.