Thailand’s powerful tuna industry is urging the EU to scrap tariffs on its exports as Brussels and Bangkok push to seal a free trade agreement (FTA).
Thailand, a global fisheries heavyweight, is the world’s largest exporter of preserved tuna – the EU’s most consumed fish. Currently, the bloc sets tariffs at 24%, and tariff cuts could trigger a sharp rise in imports.
EU fishers and processors have repeatedly pressed Brussels to exclude tuna from the talks, arguing that Thailand’s sector still faces sustainability and human-rights problems.
On Monday, the Thai Tuna Industry Association released a paper defending its record, insisting that it already complies with the “EU’s strict regulatory framework” on processing, transparency, and traceability.
“For the EU, the FTA would secure reliable access to responsibly sourced tuna products in a sector where processors are structurally dependent on imported raw material,” the paper says, adding that Thailand’s growing middle class also offers opportunities for European seafood exporters.
EU fishers net another trade fight, this time over tuna with Thailand
Brussels and Bangkok are pushing ahead with talks over a free trade deal – but…
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The group notes that the EU has already fully liberalised seafood trade with major partners – from Colombia, Peru and Ecuador to Central America, the Caribbean, several Pacific nations and South Korea. “Extending this approach to Thailand would reinforce the EU’s reputation as a consistent and fair trading partner,” it argues.
They also stress that after receiving an EU “yellow card” in 2016 for illegal fishing, Thailand introduced “one of the world’s most robust fisheries monitoring regimes.” But civil-society groups have warned that recent political shifts are eroding those gains, pointing to new legislative changes passed last month that could weaken marine protections.
Thai exporters also downplay EU industry concerns – particularly in Spain’s fish and seafood processing hub of Galicia – claiming Thai processing is “complementary” rather than competitive.
(adm, aw)