MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU reopens market for Uruguayan fish and sea produce

Uruguayan companies can resume fish and sea produce exports to the European Union following on a positive report from the European Commission (EC) coordinated by the local Aquatic Resources Directorate, DINARA.

The announcement was done in Montevideo by EU officials based on the reports from an EC delegation of experts which inspected Uruguayan fisheries companies at the beginning of May. EC authorities congratulated the Uruguayan authorities and companies involved for efforts undertaken between November last year and May this year to adapt to EU sanitary and public health requirements. "As a consequence of the mentioned effort and the introduction of technical improvements, DINARA will renew the Uruguayan plants' authorisation to export to the EU" said the EC delegation in Uruguay in an official release. In order to implement the decision, EU Member States must previously be consulted and a Public informative procedure must be carried out, which could take up to 30-working days. The head of the EC delegation in Uruguay, William Hanna, said he was highly satisfied by the decision and the speed with which European authorities and the Uruguayans addressed and resolved the matter. "Such a speedy recovery of the export eligibility status required a huge effort which can be greatly attributed to the collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries, DINARA, the Uruguayan companies involved, the EC Food and Veterinary Office inspections team and EC authorities", pointed out Hanna. Last February the EC suspended three Uruguayan plants fish export rights to the EC markets after having detected inadequate sanitary conditions during a routine inspection. Because the inadequate conditions were described as "very serious" by the EC inspecting team, DINARA suspended certifications at four other plants. However in early May a second follow-up EC delegation from the Food and Veterinary Office offered a positive report on the plants and facilities visited.