THE Minister of State for the Marine has called on the European Commission to take tough action on Norwegian salmon imports, following confirmation that a deal is about to be struck between Norway and the EU.
The Commission is to meet in emergency session tomorrow, in response to a split within the EU executive over the five year deal, negotiated by officials on both sides, details of which have not been published.
The Irish EU Commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, is among those who have pushed for sanctions against Norway, while the EU Trade Commissioner, Mr Leon Brittan, has been criticised for taking a softer line against Oslo in the negotiations on ways to curb the flooding of the EU market by Norwegian salmon exports.
The Irish Salmon Growers' Association (ISGA), representing some 2,000 people employed in the £40 million fish farming industry, yesterday welcomed the Commission's decision to hold an emergency session and congratulated Mr Flynn on his stance.
However, the association warned that a long term solution would not be acceptable if producers were not consulted before hand. Norway could be producing over 400,000 tonnes of farmed salmon by the turn of the century, Mr Richie Flynn, ISGA chief executive, said.
The ISGA said that it would like to see a negotiated solution, rather than the imposition of tariffs. An EU investigation into alleged dumping and major State aids to the Norwegian producers, published in April of this year, had recommended a 14.5 per cent tariff on Norwegian salmon imports.
The ISGA said that it was opposed to minimum export prices, as surveillance measures were in sufficient. A five year deal would also prohibit both Ireland and Scotland from taking an anti dumping case against Norway.
The Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Eamon Gilmore, said that the deal should include a five year ceiling on export levels of Norwegian salmon to the EU; a proper surveillance mechanism on EU salmon imports and market prices a commitment by Norway to end state aids to its industry; and development of trilateral industry contacts into a European producer organisation framework.
"If we cannot work out an agreement on realistic measures, then the EU Commission will have no option but to put a 4 per cent tariff in place," Mr Gilmore said. "The EU Commission has a duty to ensure that Irish and Scottish salmon producers do not suffer from unfair competition."
Norwegian diplomatic sources said yesterday that the deal was "appropriate", but noted that the Irish Commissioner, Mr Flynn, found it to be unacceptable.
