Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is trying to reduce EU taxes, which would benefit the Vigo fleet.
The Malvinas squid fishery is a major resource for Vigo’s mixed fleet and for the islands’ economy. But it is now also a matter of strategic interest in the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union when it comes to dealing with and, ultimately, mitigating some of the effects of Brexit encouraged by the new Labor Government. In this context, the future of the fees applied for squid imported from this fishing area would have been at the heart of the negotiations, which will also define competitiveness and viability Vigo fleet, according to international media reports.
When the United Kingdom left the European Union, the fishing situation in the islands under the control of the British Government changed, forcing it to accept a tax of 6% on catches. However, both parties agreed in 2021 and temporarily to allow up to 75,000 tonnes of squid from the Falklands to enter the EU duty-free. Last year this level was not reached, after the conditions of the facility forced one of the capture campaigns to be suspended. However, in 2022, the fleet even reached 100,000 tons of catch, a higher figure that, however, meant a tariff burden because it was higher than the numbers established for the exemption.
The current negotiation regarding tariffs will be decisive for the Vigo industry and the various companies that are responsible for this fishing area. According to the newspaper “Político”, which describes the discussions as “the squid game”, both the European Union and the United Kingdom see this fishery as a matter of great importance.
In response to demands from the Falklands, Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to do “everything we can” to reduce trade tariffs, which would also benefit the Vigo fleet, while describing his relationship with the Falklands as “personal” (my uncle was close to death during the 1982 war with Argentina over territory).
The Falklands are afraid of being put down if the EU uses this issue as a bargaining chip for their own interests in other areas that may not be as popular in the UK. According to “Politico”, the administration of the islands tried to influence British ministers from Brexit in 2016, pointing out the negative impact of tariffs on products such as squid.
Teslyn Barkman, a legislator from the Falklands, explained that they are having a big impact on the local economy, especially because of tensions with Argentina. It shows that the economy of the islands is very dependent on the export of squid to the European market, which mostly arrives through the port of Vigo. For this reason, the Malvinas Government hopes to support the new British minister for the negotiations with the EU.
2024-11-16 04:34:00
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