ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: After a delay of six years, the European Union has lifted ban on import of fish products, partially by allowing only two Pakistani companies to export fishery products to the European countries.

The EU had slapped ban on import of fish products from Pakistan in 2007 after EU inspectors found systemic enforcement failure and serious deficiencies in the sanitary quality of the fish.

After compliance with EU standards, Sindh-based fishery processing companies — A G Fisheries (Pvt) Ltd and Akhlaq Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd — have now been allowed to export fish to European Union.

This facility would be effective from March 12 which means that any consignment exported from these two approved establishments in Pakistan after this date would be able to enter the EU market.

Pakistani exporters should expect all such export consignments to be inspected at all EU points of entry.

It would, therefore, be absolutely essential for the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) to ensure that each export consignment is 100 per cent compliant with EU standards.

An official announcement of the commerce ministry said that after efforts by the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs, the Marine Fisheries Department and Pakistan’s Trade Mission in Brussels, the European Union has finally agreed to lift ban.

The names of the two Pakistani fisheries establishments were included in the approved list of third country establishments that are authorised to export fishery products to the EU.

This recommendation was made by the EC to the 27-member states, who had till Tuesday to submit any objection.

Since no such objection has been made, the names of the two fishing establishments have now been duly notified on the EC website.

The EC held that re-listing would be done after relevant stakeholders in Pakistan can demonstrate that effectiveactions have been implemented to improve hygienic conditions in the fishery processing establishments.

To comply with the EU standards, laboratory services of MFD have been modernised; MFD microbiology and chemical labs have been internationally accredited; hygiene conditions in fishing vessels, landing and auction sites, fish processing plants have been improved and a large number of fishermen’s boats have been modified.

Immediately before the de-listing of Pakistani companies, Pakistan’s export of fish to the Europe amounted to $38.72 million in 2006, which was 23 per cent of Pakistan’s exports of fish to the world.

The reopening of fishery exports to the EU would give a boost to Pakistan’s fishery exports.

The lifting of ban by the EU is a manifestation of deepening relations between Pakistan and Europe Union.

This also demonstrates Pakistan’s willingness to abide by international commitments as well as capability to meet the stringent international food safety standards, added the announcement.

Our Staff Reporter from Karachi adds: Exporters have hailed EU decision of approving two companies without any inspection.

Owner of one of the approved plants, Akhlaq Enterprises, Syed Akhlaq Hussain said out of eight to nine exporters, who had applied to the EU, the competent authority in Pakistan, MFD, conducted a chain of inspections and found two companies that complied with the EU requirements.

As a result, the MFD sent the request of two companies to the EU which was finally approved.

He said he saw approval of two companies by the EU a very positive move for Pakistan and a chance for exporters to negotiate fishery product prices with other countries.

Akhlaq said he would start preparations to resume fish shipments to the EU as it would take time to reach the required European destinations.

Pakistan’s name was not included in Programme of Audits 2013 list issued by Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission recently.

In 2013, 64 per cent audits would take place in the European Union (EU), five per cent audits will take place in candidate countries and 31 per cent in third countries. About one-tenth of audits in the EU deal with member states’ import control systems, overall, controls with respect to third countries’ export of feed, food, plants and animals amount to 43 per cent of the programme.

When EU’s Programme of Audit was issued last month, a senior official of the MFD stated that non-inclusion of Pakistan’s name in the Audit List for 2013 was not a serious issue as EU was treating Pakistan as a special case.

Former chairman of Pakistan’s Fisheries Exporters Association (PFEA) Faisal Iftikhar termed it a positive development without any EU inspection.

He recalled that when EU ban was imposed in 2007, around 13 exporters were sending their shipments to various European countries.

Mohammad Moazzam Khan, former DG of MFD and currently WWF Technical Advisor Pakistan, said in 1999 that there were 22 exporters of fish products to the EU out of 32 total exporters.

Now only two exporters are authorised by the EU to export out of 60.

However, he termed lifting of ban on fishery products a healthy sign for Pakistan.