Foreign Ministry expects fishing exports to resume in July

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera welcomed the European Commission’s decision to lift the red card on Sri Lanka’s fish exports to the European Union (EU) yesterday and said the Government was upbeat on future efforts to regain GSP+. 

Sri Lanka looks forward to further close engagement with the EU on regaining GSP+ concessions and sustainable development of maritime resources as part of the Government’s strategy for harnessing Sri Lanka’s rich ocean assets, the Foreign Ministry said.

The lifting of the red card will allow Sri Lanka to resume fish exports to the EU’s 28 member countries. EU markets accounted for 68% of Sri Lanka’s fish exports, amounting to 108 million dollars and livelihood for thousands of fishermen and their families.

 The EU Commission initially issued Sri Lanka a yellow card in 2012. After repeated warnings on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing rule compliance failure it announced a ban on fish exports to the EU in October 2014.

The new Government, elected on 8 January 2015, took immediate measures to fulfill its manifesto commitment found at Point 65 of President Sirisena’s 100 Day Work Programme which states “measures will be taken to revive the European Union market from which our fish is now being excluded,’” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.  

On 13 January, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe wrote to EU High Representative on Foreign Affairs Fredrica Moghernini, requesting that the EU and Sri Lanka work together to address the issues which initiated the process for lifting the ban.

The statement also recalled given the importance of lifting the ban, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s second visit overseas after assuming duties as Foreign Minister was to Brussels at the end of January. 

“Negotiations for lifting the ban were initiated during this visit. Over the last year and a quarter, the Minister of Fisheries and the relevant Government departments have been working hard to ensure compliance with Sri Lanka’s international fishing obligations  and secure a successful outcome in negotiations with the EU,” it said. 

The EU’s recommendation to life the ban is the culmination of this process. The EU Commission’s recommendation has been forwarded to the European Union Council on Fisheries and is expected to come into legal effect by July.