the Community fleet and from countries with duty free access to the EU, so the zero tariff quota on 22,000 tonnes of tuna loins should be eliminated. Europêche claims there is sufficient tuna raw material from the EU fleet and from countries that have duty free access to the EU, to supply the European canning industry. In fact, with the Spanish and French controlled fleet alone, around 700,000 tons of skipjack, yellow fin and big eye are caught annually. The President of Europêche, Javier Garat, and his advisors explained to the Commission that there is enough supply for the processing industry not to need more benefits, to the detriment of our European producers. The representatives of ship-owners have informed the Commission that they are forced to sell the whole frozen tuna to international markets because much of the EU processing industry can buy imported tuna from these countries. |