India urges EU to allow shrimp imports, reduce inspection sampling frequency
New Delhi: India has pressed the European Union (EU) to allow newly-listed fishery companies to export farmed shrimps to the bloc, and to reduce sampling frequency at border inspection post, currently set at 50%, the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry & dairying said. India has underlined the need to reduce the current sampling frequency and revert to 10% as was earlier the norm.
Additionally, India has sought the re-listing of previously de-listed fishery establishments and requested the EU to grant export permission for aquaculture shrimps from newly-listed fishery companies in India to the EU market. Union minister of fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairying, Parshottam Rupala, raised these crucial concerns during a meeting with the EU delegation led by Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Ocean, and Fisheries on 27 July.
The bilateral meeting aimed to address various issues pertaining to fisheries and aquaculture, seeking avenues for cooperation between the two parties. On the request of the EU, both sides agreed to engage bilaterally on important matters such as port state measure agreement, fisheries subsidies issues in WTO, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), ‘Ocean and Fisheries Dialogue’, IUU fishing and market access related issues within the framework of a joint working group proposed to be constituted on fisheries.
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