Seafood Trade Matters
The latest developments in International Seafood Trade & Market Access affecting Australian Seafood Exporters.
February 16, 2023
Seafood Trade Matters: Indonesia Halal Law; China
food packaging rules; EU trade negotiations
Indonesia: Halal Law
Indonesia’s new Halal Law entered into force in 2019, with a 5-15 year implementation period. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF) advises exporters that seafood products will be impacted during the first phase of the law.
According to DAFF, “the key areas of concern under the Halal Law include halal certification for most goods and the inclusion of services (including transportation), complete segregation of halal products from non-halal products, additional labeling requirements (including the potential for identification of non-halal products), and a new accreditation system for halal certifiers.”
If you have any concerns or questions, please contact dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au by 17 February.
China: Packaging regulations notified in WTO
Chinese authorities have notified the WTO of new draft requirements that restrict excessive packaging of edible agricultural products, including seafood. The regulations would limit the packaging of eligible products in terms of weight, cost, density, and layers according to strict formulas.
STAG has prepared an informal courtesy translation for exporters’ consideration here. China’s original notification can be accessed on the WTO website in Chinese here.
If your product might be affected by these proposed measures, please get in touch with the STAG here to discuss.
China: Live lobster access
During an interview with the ABC, the Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism, made
comments in relation to live lobster exports to China. Read the full transcript here.
The South China Morning Post reports in-depth on improving trade relations. The full article is
here (login may be required).
STAG understands that, despite positive signals, there is at this time no confirmed change in
China’s policy regarding live Australian lobster imports. STAG continues to monitor the situation.
USA: Proposed expansion of Seafood Import Monitoring Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries has announced a proposed rule to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), a risk-based program for targeted species of seafood imported into the USA. The full proposal can be accessed here.
The proposal would increase the number of species included from 1,100 to around 1,670 individual species. New additions would include all species in the snapper family, additional tuna species, cuttlefish and squid, eels, octopus, queen conch and Caribbean spiny lobster.
Read more on the Food Safety News website here.
EU: Trade negotiations near conclusion
Trade Minister Farrell has said Australia’s negotiations with the EU towards a trade agreement are nearing the conclusive stage, with a ‘final round’ to take place within weeks.
The Guardian reports on the latest negotiations held in Canberra, identifying geographical indications as the main sticking point. Read more here.
Inspector General of Animal Welfare: Consultation Paper
The Government plans to establish an Inspector-General of Animal Welfare by expanding the current office of the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to include animal welfare-related objectives and expertise.
DAFF is requesting feedback on the consultation paper by 2 March 2023. The document is available here.
The STAG is funded by partners:
The Seafood Trade Advisory Group (STAG) is jointly funded by the Australian government and the fishing industry. We receive funds from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).which is a statutory authority within the portfolio of the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Any information provided in this STAG publication is general in nature. Before acting on any information provided, you should consider its appropriateness to your individual circumstances and business objectives.
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