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FRUCOM draft letter on need for harmonization of national official controls

Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Please note the first item in the latest FRUCOM newsletter: Draft letter on need for harmonization of national official controls. FRUCOM has drafted a letter to the European Commission on the need for harmonization of national official controls. The draft letter contains examples of products (figs and nuts) that were...
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Proposal for the 2024-2026 autonomous tariff quotas (ATQs)

Wednesday, November 29, 2023
On 27 November 2023, the European Council adopted a regulation opening the autonomous tariff quotas (ATQs) for 2024, 2025 and 2026. The Council has now released the proposal for the regulation on the 2024–2026 ATQs. It is available through this link.
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Short-weighting of retail frozen shrimp in California

Monday, October 2, 2023
Of 106 retail packs of frozen shrimp (prawns) sampled in California, 37% were found to be underweight. Article on Food Authenticity Network: Short weight frozen shrimp California
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EFSA: Update of the risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food

Wednesday, September 20, 2023
EFSA published an update to its the risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food on 13 September 2023. EFSA split the mineral oil hydrocarbons into two groups: mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). Regarding MOSH, EFSA concluded that current dietary exposure does not raise...
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UK publishes its import control model and delays import controls by 3 months

Tuesday, August 29, 2023
The UK has published it’s ‘final’ Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). This latest version of the BTOM introduces another delay to post-Brexit border controls on EU goods entering Britain. The BTOM contains the UK’s plan for introducing a ‘simplified and digitised’ approach to implementing controls, including sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks...
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General Assembly 2023: draft minutes

Monday, July 17, 2023
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Dear SIPA Member,   Thank you for your participation in the 2023 SIPA General Assembly.   Please find the draft minutes of the General Assembly attached here. Members who attended are invited to reply to me with any comments or amendments as soon as possible, and no later than 1...
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Reminder: 2023 General Assembly (via Zoom), Monday 17 July

Sunday, July 9, 2023
Dear SIPA Member, This is a reminder that you are invited to the 2023 SIPA General Assembly, which will be held online on Monday 17 July at 14.00 Brussels time (13.00 London time). The meeting will be held as an interactive Zoom meeting. The agenda, the 2022 accounts and the proposed...
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Free virtual access to the 2023 Shrimp Summit (24–26 July)

Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Dear SIPA Member, The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS) has kindly provided a discount code for SIPA members to gain Virtual Access to the Shrimp Summit (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 24–26 July 2023). Enter the code VRTSIPA during checkout (final payment screen) to obtain a 100% discount off the...
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Announcement of the 2023 General Assembly (via Zoom), 17 July 2023

Friday, June 23, 2023
3 attachments
Dear SIPA Member,   You are invited to the 2023 SIPA General Assembly, which will be held online on Monday 17 July at 14.00 Brussels time (13.00 London time).  The meeting will be held as an interactive Zoom meeting.   The agenda, the 2022 accounts and the proposed 2023 budget are available as attachments...
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UK Target Operating Model Slides

Wednesday, May 17, 2023
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The slides presented today (17 May 2023) at the UK Government webinar  UK Border Target Operating Model: Overview for EU Traders are available for download here.
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Webinar - UK Border Target Operating Model - overview for traders in the EU and EFTA

Thursday, May 11, 2023
Defra has invited traders based in the EU and EFTA who are exporting food into Great Britain to an online overview of the draft Target Operating Model on Wednesday 17th May at 10.00 BST (11.00h CET). The UK’s draft Border Target Operating Model has been published, and sets out the UK’s proposed...
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The Contaminants Regulation is now Regulation (EU) 2023/915

Friday, May 5, 2023
The Commission has today repealed Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 and replaced it with Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food. Commission Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in food. It enters into force 20 days from its publication date of 5 May 2023.  There...
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The UK's draft Border Target Operating Model

Tuesday, April 18, 2023
The UK Government has laid out its new model for importing goods in its draft Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). It will apply to all goods, including seafood, imported into the UK from inside and outside the EU. Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks Seafood will be assigned a high, medium...
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Fishery products: impacts of upcoming new maximum levels for inorganic arsenic

Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Please note the following message from FRUCOM (copied from the FRUCOM newsletter of 16/01/2023): FRUCOM received a question regarding the upcoming new maximum level for inorganic arsenic: would these new values have an impact on the members of FRUCOM working with fishery products? The European Commission, Health and Food Safety...
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EUMOFA Talk: “Cost of raw materials for fish processing and aquaculture”

Thursday, January 12, 2023
EUMOFA held the online Talk “Cost of raw materials for fish processing and aquaculture” on 15 December 2022. Click here to see the Talk. The event drew on external experts to discuss current trends of increasing costs of raw materials, with a special focus on fish processing and aquaculture. Speakers:...
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Article on the benefits of canned foods, including tuna and sardines

Friday, October 28, 2022
You can use the link below to access an article commissioned by FRUCOM on the nutritional benefits of canned food, including canned tuna and canned sardines. The article is free to use, and you may circulate it as widely as you wish. Canned food: convenient, sustainable and nutritious – an...
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Commission postpones inorganic arsenic limits for seafood

Monday, September 26, 2022
In November 2021 the European Commission published a proposal that set maximum regulatory limits (MRLs) for inorganic arsenic in seafood products.   We have become aware of a newer proposal on inorganic arsenic MRLs that no longer contains those limits as regards seafood products. These are the newer documents, available...
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Global Shrimp Forum 2022, 6-8 September, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Below is a message from Willem van der Pijl on the Global Shrimp Forum, 6-8 September 2022, Utrecht, The Netherlands: Early-Bird Registration for The Global Shrimp Forum has been extended to 15th May! Do you wanna join our sponsors and speakers for 2,5 days full of content and meetings?! Be...
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Invitation to the Seafish pavilion: 'Meet the Buyer' event

Tuesday, April 19, 2022
An attachment
SIPA members are invited to a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event at the Seafish pavilion between 14.00 and 19.00 on Tuesday 26 April at stand 2I601. The exhibitors at the Seafish pavilion are: Edwin Jenkinson Shellfish Blue Sea Food Company C&N Chambers Ocean Fish Hilton Seafood UK For more information about...
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Seafood Expo Global 2022: Meeting Room available to members after the General Assembly

Friday, April 8, 2022
Dear SIPA member, After our General Assembly on 27 April, the meeting room will remain available for the use of SIPA members for the remainder of the day (until 16.00). You’re welcome to use it for your private meetings. The room is Meeting Room 3.13 in Conference Centre 3. I...
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Invitation to the GSA event and luncheon at SEG, 27 April 2022

Wednesday, April 6, 2022
The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) has invited all SIPA members to attend their Stakeholder Update & Luncheon at Seafood Expo Global at 11am on Wednesday, 27 April. The meeting will be held at the Fira de Barcelona in Room CC4.2, which is located between Hall 4 and Hall 3, not far from...
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Announcement of the 2022 SIPA General Assembly, 27 April 2022

Wednesday, April 6, 2022
3 attachments
Dear SIPA Member,   You are invited to attend the 2022 SIPA General Assembly, which will be held in person at the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona Conference Centre 3 (CC3), meeting room 3.13 at 09:00 on Wednesday 27 April 2022. The agenda, the 2021 accounts and the proposed 2022...
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The 2022 SIPA General Assembly at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona

Thursday, March 17, 2022
Dear SIPA Member,   We are working hard to ensure that the next SIPA General Assembly can be held in person at the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona. Before coronavirus forced us online, we always met on the Wednesday of the Seafood Expo at 9am, and that is what are...
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FRUCOM Newsletter, 07/03/2022: updates on IUU etc.

Tuesday, March 8, 2022
I hope you are aware that the weekly FRUCOM Newsletters, available to SIPA members through this website, contains updates on seafood. FRUCOM Newsletter of 07/03/2022 contains the following information: Update by the EU Commission on IUU fishing and electronic catch certification scheme Updated list of third countries for the entry...
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Invitation to the AIPCE/CEP Seafood Trade Symposium, 2 December 2021

Wednesday, November 24, 2021
GENTLE REMINDER TO AIPCE CEP SEAFOOD TRADE SYMPOSIUM SAVE THE DATE 2 December 2021, 10.00-12.00 CET   Hope you are doing great! We would like to remind you about our session “AIPCE CEP Seafood Trade Symposium” that will take place on 2 December 2021 – 10:00-12:00 (CET) !   Not yet registered...
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China: registration website scam

Wednesday, November 3, 2021
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defra) in the UK has issued a warning that a fraudulent website is asking businesses to pay up to £10000 for ‘registration’ with Chinese Customs (GACC). Businesses tend to come across the website when researching how to register with GACC in order to...
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Titanium dioxide (E171) to be banned as a food additive in the EU

Sunday, October 24, 2021
Titanium dioxide (TiO2, E171) is a food colour that is permitted in some processed seafood products. The European Commission is expected to ban its use next year. Member states voted to ban its authorisation on 7 October 2021 at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and...
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Message from the Korean National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives

Tuesday, October 12, 2021
—–Original Message—–From: “SoYeon Christina Ham” <soyeon@hypers.kr>Sent: Thursday, 7 October, 2021 10:14To: soyeon@hypers.krSubject: [PLEASE READ] REMINDER INVITATION to 2021 K-Seafood Online Expo – 1:1 Business Meeting Hello, This is SoYeon Ham from Korea who is working for National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, one of the biggest fishery officials in Korea. We’re...
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EU Consultation on GSP

Sunday, October 3, 2021
On 22 September 2021, the European Commission published a proposal for a new Regulation on the generalised scheme of preferences (GSP). A Commission consultation on the proposal is currently open and runs until 19 November 2021.   The current GSP Regulation, based on Regulation (EU) No 978/2012, expires on 31...
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Link for the 2021 General Assembly (25 May 2021, 15.30 Brussels time/14.30 London time)

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
The link below will allow you to join the GA:https://zoom.us/j/92572590891 Or One tap mobile :Belgium: +3225884188,,92572590891# or +3227880172,,92572590891#Or Telephone:Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):Belgium: +32 2 588 4188 or +32 2 788 0172 or +32 2 788 0173 or +32 1579 5132 or +32 2...
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Announcement: SIPA General Assembly 2021 on 25 May

Thursday, May 6, 2021
3 attachments
The message below was sent to all SIPA members on 4 May 2021:   Dear SIPA Member,   I am inviting you to attend the 2021 SIPA General Assembly which will be held on Tuesday 25 May at 15.30 Brussels time/14.30 UK time. Just like last year, the meeting will be held...
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Answers to specific questions regarding the procedure of importing goods

Monday, February 8, 2021
From FRUCOM’s Newsletter of 1 February 2021: The EU Commission and the Member States have drawn up a paper with answers to specific questions regarding the procedure of importing goods from third countries into the European Union that are subject to official controls at a border inspection post. The questions...
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Webinar: Frozen Food and the Threat of SARS-CoV-2

Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Hi, you might be interested in this webinar on SARS-CoV-2 on packaging and frozen food. It’s on 5 February and free to attend. Here is the link.
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Tuesday 17 November, 9am: TRACEABILITY: Ensuring food safety, sustainability and transparency for consumer protection

Monday, November 16, 2020
Very late notice, but if you are interested there is this event organised by the Indonesian Food Safety Institute: You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Nov 17, 2020 9.00 AMSTERDAM – 15.00 JAKARTA – 16.00 KUALA LUMPUR Topic: TRACEABILITY: Ensuring food safety, sustainability and transparency  for consumer protection...
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GOAL 2020: slide decks from Day 0 and Day 1  (6 & 7 October)

Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Day 0 GAA Stakeholder Update Wally Stevens,George Chamberlain,Molly Jacques,Elise Avallon,Devan Meserve Day 1 Farmed Shrimp Production Forecast Gorjan Nikolik Farmed Finfish Production Forecast Gorjan Nikolik Homegrown Shrimp’s ‘Aquaculture 5.0’ Shrimp-Farming Model Robins McIntosh Emergence of New Sea-Based Closed-Containment Systems for Salmon Aquaculture Ragnar Tveterås SalMar’s ‘Ocean Farm 2’ Offshore Salmon Farm...
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Free access to Day 1 of GOAL 2020

Thursday, September 10, 2020
Dear Member, I am happy to announce that thanks to SIPA’s new strategic partnership with the Global Aquaculture Alliance, as a SIPA Member you will have free access to Day 1 of the virtual GOAL 2020 Conference on 6 October 2020. To take advantage of our free access to Day...
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EU Vietnam Free Trade Agreement - EUR-1 certificates

Monday, August 31, 2020
The EUR-1 certificates to follow Vietnamese consignments to the EU should legally be green colored, but due to technical printing problems they are rather blue, and thus not acceptable in the EU – however the EU TAXUD has granted a grace period in which the blue colored are accepted. The...
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Update of list of countries applying the Registered Exporter System (REX)

Thursday, July 9, 2020
GSP: The transition period for the application of the REX system has been extended to 31 December 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic for Bangladesh, Indonesia and Philippines. https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/calculation-customs-duties/rules-origin/general-aspects-preferential-origin/arrangements-list/generalised-system-preferences/the_register_exporter_system_en
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Analysis of the current P. vannamei situation (22 June 2020) by Willem van der Pijl (Shrimp Insights)

Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Analysis of the current P. vannamei situation (22 June 2020) by Willem van der Pijl (Shrimp Insights): China’s imports are flat or slightly down.US imports in 2020 have so far outperformed 2019 every month, even in April (+6%).Europe’s imports, particularly Italy (-95%), dropped significantly from April onward.Prices at origin may...
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Article on combating seafood fraud by Evelyne Nusalim

Monday, June 8, 2020
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Evelyne Nusalim, Executive Director of the Indonesian Food Safety Institute, has written an article in Infofish International entitled Achieving Sustainability in Food Safety: an Ethical Code as Corporate Social Responsibility? In it she discusses the EU regulations on water addition, and she also calls upon food businesses to establish a...
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General Assembly 2020: 26 May at 15.30 CET/Brussels time

Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Dear SIPA Member, The original announcement for our General Assembly was sent out on 27 April, along with the associated documents. Please also check your email for a message dated 18 May containing the link for the General Assembly webinar. If you have not received any of the above messages, please get in touch with me...
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Resorcinol/4-hexylresorcinol confusion

Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Some crustacean processors are being encouraged to reject Nephrops and shrimps that have been dipped in Xyrex Prawnfresh or Everfresh because these products contain 4-hexylresorcinol (E586). They are being told that the additive has endocrine disruptive properties and is being investigated by ANSES and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). 4-Hexylresorcinol is a permitted...
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Ice water treatment impacts on peeling time, meat quality of Pacific white shrimp

Tuesday, April 14, 2020
The Global Aquaculture Advocate contains the summary of a study on ice water treatment of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp. It concludes that treating the shrimp for 8 hours with an ice/water slurry significantly simplifies manual shell removal while maintaining meat yield. You can read the article here: https://www.aquaculturealliance.org/advocate/ice-water-treatment-impacts-on-peeling-time-meat-quality-of-pacific-white-shrimp/
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SIPA Board Meeting 13 February 2020

Friday, February 21, 2020
The SIPA Board met on Thursday 13 February in Brussels. Issues that were discussed during the Board Meeting included: Ongoing SIPA projects (gross weight indications and short weight survey); Potential new maximum residue limits (MRLs) for quaternary ammonium compounds, which could potentially affect the ability of processing businesses to control...
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Drinking Water Directive recast: provisional text

Wednesday, February 12, 2020
2 attachments
On 5 February 2020 the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) confirmed the provisional agreement reached on 18 December on the recast of the EU Drinking Water Directive (Directive 98/83). The provisional text is attached along with the press release issued by the Council. For Annex 1 part B (Chemical parameters) the...
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Response from the European Commission on RASFFs relating to chlorate in seafood

Tuesday, February 4, 2020
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We have now received a reply to the letter on chlorate that we sent to the European Commission. In our letter of 28 November 2019 we requested clarification of the legal situation with chlorate in seafood. We have received a reply from the Head of Food and Feed Safety (Pesticides and Biocides). The...
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Ethoxyquin: transitional measures come to an end on 31 March 2020

Friday, January 24, 2020
The use of ethoxyquin (EQ) as an additive of feed intended for aquaculture will be illegal from 1 April 2020. Such feed may be continue to be used for another three months after this date i.e. until 30 June 2020. Anyone farming fish outside the EU should be aware that feed containing EQ continues to be legal in many...
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Expert Group discusses proposed amendments to Regulation 853/2004: fish holds, meltwater drainage etc.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Some possible amendments to Regulation 853/2004 were discussed by the Expert group on food hygiene and control of food of animal origin on 11 December 2019 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=groupDetail.groupMeeting&meetingId=18572. I don’t think we had seen the proposed wording before. They concern provisions to eliminate the dual use of fish holds, clearer rules concerning freezer vessels...
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Extension to the use of TRACES Classic for products of animal origin beyond 14 December 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019
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The European Commission has advised the competent authorities of all EU member states that the CVED-P module in TRACES Classic will remain available for completing the common veterinary entry document for consignments of products of animal origin. This temporary arrangement will remain in place at least until the fourth week...
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SIPA response (via FRUCOM) to consultations on draft Implementing Regulations relating to the Official Controls Regulation 2017/625

Wednesday, September 25, 2019
SIPA contributed to FRUCOM’s response to the public consultation on the draft regulation on detailed rules on the operations to be carried out during and after documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks. FRUCOM’s response can be seen here. The draft regulation provides information on the number of packages to be...
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