As of writing this we (Fiji) are still permitted to export the EU, however we have heard "unofficially" that there will be a paper from DG-SANCO going the European Parliament to recommend that Fiji be taken off the list of countries permitted to export fish products to the EU.

We possibly expect this will occur within the next month. This is as a result from a DG-SANCO visit to Fiji by EU vets in July 2007, where they found among  other things the CA (competent authority) to have certain deficiencies in administering the food regulations requirements for the EU. As such they have recommended that until these issues are corrected Fiji will be de-listed.

As a Fiji company that catches and processes fish it will be a major blow to our operations. As you know our fish exports to the EU, both fresh and frozen have increased tremendously. We have doubled our exports volumes to Europe every year for the last 4 years, to the extent that it now worth almost 10 million Euro to our small island nation.

Herein lays the problem, whilst the EU system of using a CA in each country to monitor/administer and issuance of health certificates etc may work well in developed countries. The small island countries and under developed countries have limited technical and financial resources, as is the case with the nominated CA in Fiji, the Fiji Ministry of Health. Clearly and understanderably the Ministry of Health in Fiji has higher national priorities such as primary health care etc., for its citizens.

The system that the FDA (USA), Japan and Australia etc., use in placing the onus on the individual private sector fish processing facilities seems more logical. As such the FDA do regular audits and checks on our factories and if compliant issue a factory # that permits exportation etc., if you do not meet there requirements than you can't export fish, however the fundamental difference is that not all fish exporters in Fiji are adversely affected - only the ones that do not meet the requirements.

Its quite bizarre at the moment that the EU are active in establishing EPA's and interim EPA's with the ACP countries, including Fiji, which I believe are close to being finalized and signed. These will allow fish imports into EU are nil or preferential duty rates etc., however this will all be  negated if we are stopped from exporting from a health issue.

There clearly is a contradiction between the DG-Trade section of the EU and the DG-Sanco sections......In the end what is the purpose for the fishing industry of the establishment of a EPA if in reality we are unable to export our fish to the EU.

Particularly it light of the fact that Fiji is one of the few Pacific Island nations that has successfully established a locally owned fishing industry, rather than a total reliance on Foreign flagged vessels.

Also of concern is that when we are delisted, we will have a situation where locally Fiji owned vessels, employing local crew etc., will be prevented from exporting fish to the EU. However at the same time the Spanish owned and manned vessels currently unloading in Fiji, will still unload fish in Fiji into containers at the wharf and send to the EU without problems.

It is a real blow to our operations and to a our buyers in the EU, particularly the UK where the majority our our fresh loins are exported too, particularly considering that we (our company) have been exporting to them for the last 4 years without any incidences of health related rejects etc. Each and every batch have histamine and heavy metal tests etc.,

We have developed a increasing market through consistent supply and quality fish and to now lose that market even if temporally is indeed disappointing.

We are pleased with the support we have been getting from our embassy in Brussels and the Fiji Foreign Affairs Ministry as well as sections of the EU, including the EU office in Fiji, in trying to address this issue and obtain technical assistance for the CA in Fiji, so we can as fast as possible be reinstated as country permitted to export to the EU.

Russell Dunham
Group Business Director
Fiji Fish Marketing Group Ltd.,
PO Box 14720, Suva, FIJI
Ph: (679) 3362696
Fax: (679) 3363621
Cell: (679) 9907591