Because of sheep pens: Norway cannot sell organic salmon any more to the EU
Fish exporting is an important industry in Norway
The case sounds like something from a textbook for EU-critics: Norway cannot any longer export salmon with the EU organic logo into the European Union. Everything is in order with the salmon. The reason for the ban is that there are many gaps in the floor in Norwegian sheep pens.
"The salmon is produced just as the EU dictates " emphasizes Matthias Keller, Managing Director of the Federation of the German Fishing industry. The problem is rather the European organic regulations 834/2007 and 889/2008.
Norway - as well as Iceland – has not yet incorporated this EU regulation into the agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes both non-EU members.
In the EU and Norway, different rules apply
The requirements apply, on the one hand, to aquaculture such as organic salmon, on the other hand, to the conditions in sheep pens. And here the EU and Norway are well apart.
Brussels prescribes that the stables for animal welfare reasons that the pens have floors as fixed as possible and should be covered with straw. Norway, however preferably gaps in the floor so that the excrement can fall down and because due to the rather cold climate cereals are rare - and therefore also straw.
"Regulation must be adopted as a whole"
"We cannot and will not yield on these rules, because EU consumers deserve full confidence in what ends up on their plates," said a European Commission spokesman.
"The regulation must be adopted as a whole and not à la carte." He emphasized that the Commission has for a long time discussed technical adjustments with Norway - and the EEA member Iceland. "Some of the demands however go beyond mere technical adjustments."
Norway exports seafood worth 775 million euros
The government in Oslo hopes for new exceptions. However, Fisheries Minister Per Sandberg admitted recently that efforts still have had no success: "This is an unfortunate situation that can have significant consequences for producers of organic salmon in Norway in the medium term."
Fish export is an important industry in the country. In August alone Norway exported seafood worth 7.1 billion crowns (about 775 million euros), a third more than last month. 5.3 billion crowns are from the salmon sales.
Salmon is the most popular food fish
"Norway is the largest supplier of organic salmon, and therefore, the gap cannot currently be closed," said Martina Buck, spokeswoman for the fish processor, Deutsche See recently to "taz". Around 18,000 tons of the foodstuff popular especially among gourmets is produced by the Scandinavian country each year, more than half going to Germany. Salmon is the most popular food fish in this country.
The Brussels ban from mid-July that the goods cannot bear the organic label, also leads to chaos in Germany. Some states intend to remove the already packed Norwegian goods immediately from the market. Elsewhere, however, the stock may be sold, or it will be seen, whether something is not done.
Salmon can still be sold without restriction
"This is a farce, of which we do not approve," says Keller from the fishing industry. In an emergency, he says, consumers would switch to products from Scotland and Ireland. Then significantly higher prices are also expected. But so far this has not happened.
The industry hopes that a meeting in late September between the competent EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and the Norwegian Minister of Agriculture will bring progress. Finally, salmon from Norway can continue to be sold without restrictions, as the EU has stressed as well. Just not with the coveted organic seal. The supply should therefore by no means be restricted, explains Keller.
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