Commission rubbishes claims of Thailand illegal fishing extension

The European Commission has moved to rubbish claims that Thailand has been given more time by the EU to tackle illegal fishing practices (IUU). The Brussels executive was quick to react to reports that Bangkok would be allowed to go beyond the initial deadline of October in taking the necessary corrective measures.

In April, the EU yellow-carded the country’s fishing industry giving it six months to improve its IUU situation or face a potentially crippling ban on seafood imports into the EU.

Thai government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd claimed at the weekend that the EU had extended the deadline, adding, “The prime minister is glad that the EU understands the Thai government’s intentions and is allowing it to continue to solve the problem.”

But on Monday (21 September), a Commission spokesman told this website that such claims were “without foundation.”

Enrico Brivio, press offficer for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries  Directorate in the Commission, said: “Reports about an extension are unfounded. No decision has been taken to date by the Commission on whether or not to give an extension to Thailand.”

He added: “The dialogue with Thailand is on-going and the commission is working on a permanent basis with the Thai authorities. This period is coming to an end at the end of October for Thailand.”

He said that Thailand had been engaged since April 2015 in the “dialogue process” with the commission and had been given six months to “negotiate with the executive and address its problems”.

The EU had previously denounced the country’s shortcoming in its fisheries monitoring, control and sanctioning systems.

The commission says that should the situation not improve the  EU could resort to issuing a ‘red card’, in other words banning fisheries imports from Thailand.

Spanish centre right MEP Gabriel Mato, a Fisheries Committee member and former rapporteur for the Parliament on illegal fishing, is among those who supports the EU’s tough stance against Thailand, saying he supports a red card if the situation does not improve.

Meanwhile a senior MEP has reiterated the EU’s usage of conditionality for democracy promotion.

Under the policy, any trade agreements between the EU and third countries are linked to issues of human rights and democracy.

For 20 years, the EU’s trade agreements have included human rights clauses requiring the parties to these agreements to respect human rights and democratic principles.

Since the military coup in Thailand in May 2014, the EU has suspended fledgling negotiations with Thailand on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement, commenced in 2013.

The EU also refused to sign the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement finalised in November 2013, saying it will not be signed “until a democratically elected government is in place.”

On the conditionality issue, German Christian Democrat MEP Werner Langen, who chairs the European Parliament’s ASEAN delegation, said: “Democracy, rule of law and the protection of human rights remain a high priority for the EU and in particular in the work of the European Parliament.

“Hence, the EU is keen to co-operate with ASEAN on the promotion and protection of international human rights standards. This said there is still a lot of work to do. The European Union believes in the universal character of human rights, and as such, it is a pillar of our foreign policy action.”

The MEP added, “In this regard, the EU aims at strengthening the dialogue with civil society organisations and non-state actors in the ASEAN region. We in the European Parliament will continue to look very carefully at the human rights situation.

“As in the past, human rights questions will be considered when it comes to deciding on Free Trade Agreements and Partnership and Cooperation Agreements.”

His comments come at a time of increasing political instability in Thailand, partly sparked by the recent rejection of a new constitution which will further delay elections until mid-2017.

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