EU to resume marine imports from Malaysia

Ruben Sario The Star 22 Feb 09;

KOTA KINABALU: The European Union is expected to resume imports of marine products from Malaysia soon.

European Commission Health and Consumer Protection director general Jerome Lepeintre said steps were being taken by fish exporters to improve their standard of hygiene of the fish products exported to EU.

He said EU banned fish imports from Malaysia following an inspection by its food and veterinarian officers a few months ago who found significant deficiencies in hygiene by certain fish exporters.

We were obliged to stop fish exports from Malaysia to the EU at that time, but our experts are helping the Malaysians to improve on these deficiencies, he said.

We need to import fish from Malaysia so it is better to help out and put in place a mechanism for Malaysian fish exporters to maintain certain standards so that they can resume exports, he adding that he expecteded imports to resume soon.

He was speaking to reporters said after chairing a one day forum on EU-ASEAN cooperation on Codex Matters here that ended on Saturday.

Lepeintre explained that the EU ban was not aimed at stifling exports of food from Asean countries but exporting countries must comply with the stringent safety requirements in force.

He said that, like in Malaysia, EU would assist any Asean country with technical assistance to help improve hygiene deficiencies which could prevent their foodstuff from being banned from the EU.

“Our main concern is that all food exported to the EU must be safe for human consumption.

“We are open and transparent, and not like other countries when it comes to food imports, and Asean is a major food exporter to the EU. Our import bill is US$40 billion a year and growing fast, he said.

Lepeintre said EU did not want to stop any nation, including Asean countries, from exporting food as the food imports were required by member countries.

The EU realised that meeting these high standards could be difficult and costly for developing countries, so it provided technical assistance to help them meet its own standards, he added.

The forum was held in conjunction with the CodexAlimentarius Committee on Fats and Oils Meeting organised by Malaysia 's Health Ministry.

Some 30 delegates from Asean countries EU officials, a representative from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and a representative from the French embassy attended the forum.

Touching on genetically modified food, Lepeintre said all foods must be labelled as such that it contains GMO, something which the United States of America has resisted all these while.

Earlier in a speech, Vincent Piket, Head of European Commission Delegation to Malaysia said the EU would continue to cooperate with Asean and had set aside EUR70mil for the period 2007-2013 to enhance economic and trade relations.

Piket, whose speech was read by Pablo Iglesias, said it was important to systematically review cooperation in the light of increasingly complex and dynamic trade and economic relations.

In the areas of food, scientific and technological advances as well as evolving consumer demand underline the importance of a productive and stable dialogue that can keep pace with market changes, he said.

Intense dialogue on Codex matters will help to ensure smooth trade flows and prosperity without losing sight of the need to address environmental concerns, animal welfare or provide a high level of protection of human health.

The forum was aimed to initiate dialogue on risk assessment matters and build on the EU's "Better Training for Safer Food Programme" which helped developing countries such as Malaysia to comply with EU food laws.

This is achieved through training, information and communication activities organised by the EU, and since early 2006, 10 workshops have been held in the Asean region and attended by over 1,000 people.