The EU–MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement also covers fisheries and aquaculture products (fresh and processed products, as well as fishmeal and fish oil).
At present, trade in these products between the EU and our country represents a small share of total trade, since the main Latin American countries with strong fisheries and aquaculture sectors are Peru and Chile, which are not members of MERCOSUR.
Current tariffs on these products are (on average) 5.7% and 16.6% for imports into the EU, and 6.6% and 12.6% for exports to MERCOSUR.
In Greece, there are small volumes of imports from Argentina and Uruguay, mainly frozen shrimp, squid, and cod (with a 12% tariff), without taking into account (as it is difficult to estimate) imports of products entering via third countries, such as Spain.
There are no imports of aquaculture products (including their raw materials, such as fishmeal and fish oil).
No exports of fisheries and aquaculture products to MERCOSUR countries are reported.
The critical points of the agreement concerning fisheries products are:
(a) whether or not EU health and production standards are complied with (fisheries management rules, use of antibiotics, chemical substances, and GMOs), and
(b) the inability of Member States to immediately suspend imports and reinstate tariffs in the event of market disruption, taking into account also the non-systematic veterinary controls at entry points, as experience has shown with imported fisheries products from neighboring countries.