This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Salmon safeguard measures
04/02/2005
Deputy Environment and Rural Development Minister Lewis
Macdonald today welcomed a European Commission decision to
protect Scotland's salmon farming industry against unfair
competition.
Following lobbying by the Executive, in partnership with
the UK Government and the industry, the Commission has
agreed to introduce definitive safeguard measures on
imports of farmed salmon into the EU.
The Commission has decided to apply a minimum import
price (MIP) and a tariff rate quota (TRQ).
The MIP will be phased in incrementally from current
market prices to the minimum sustainable level for both EU
and Norwegian salmon growers.
The MIP will eventually reflect the Norwegian cost of
production. The TRQ element of the definitive safeguard
measure is designed to allow for market growth of 10 per
cent annually.
In adopting the measures as described, the Commission
has taken a fair and balanced approach. There is an
allowance for market growth and the EU producers are
obliged to restructure.
Mr Macdonald said:
"Our salmon producers have been suffering since 2003.
Large volumes of salmon continue to be imported into the EU
where they are sold at prices below their cost of
production. This unfair competition disadvantages our
industry.
"We have been forced to intervene to ensure that our
salmon industry receives the protection it deserves. We
have worked with the EU Salmon Producers Group, the UK
Government and the European Commission to get these
effective measures in place.
"We are very grateful to the Commission for the effort
it has put into investigating and establishing an effective
solution and to the UK Government for its efforts to
promote the case with other EU member states."
The definitive safeguard measures are expected to come
into force on February 6 and should remain in force until
August 13, 2008.