21. In presenting the paper on marketing and trade of aquaculture products, the Secretariat focused on the current export of aquaculture products and on the trends in fish consumption in the European Union (EU).
22. It was shown that exports of freshwater aquaculture products such as tilapia and catfish to the EU are limited. However, EU retailers increasingly prefer aquaculture products over capture fisheries products. The Workshop also noted large variations in fish consumption among European countries as well as a slow increase in consumption in EU countries (Appendix F).
23. The Secretariat presented other relevant information for potential exporters to the EU. This information includes: producing a species that has an established demand in the EU; keeping records of all inputs and outputs of the production process; collecting trade information from internet and other sources; preparing business plans including clear marketing plans; contacting possible trade partners (domestic and in the EU); keeping up-to-date information on prices, markets and regulations, and preparing written contractual agreements.
24. The Secretariat discussed trade policies and agreements relevant to trade of aquaculture products between countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the EU, and provided the background on the main agreements such as the Lomé Agreement (1975) and the Cotonou Agreement (2000).
25. The Workshop noted that the EU standards set for export of aquaculture and fishery products (Appendix G) are a major handicap to export of fish from Zambia and Malawi into EU; Zambia and Malawi are not yet listed as the so called "harmonized countries"; harmonized countries are the only ones permitted to export their aquaculture products to the EU. Fish marketing information sources were also made available to Workshop participants. They are presented in Appendix H.
26. In view of the present impossibility for Zambia and Malawi to export aquaculture products to the EU, Workshop participants suggested that paths and approaches taken by other sub-Saharan African countries such as Uganda and Tanzania in order to obtain the lift of the ban of export of fish and fishery products to EU should be followed by Zambia and Malawi. It was also suggested to seek EU’s assistance in monitoring and controlling the quality of fishery products and in helping processing and exporting firms to comply with quality and safety regulations as well as requirements set forth by the EU.
