Ha Noi (VNA) – The European Commission has asked EU member countries to lift the ban on tuna and sword fish import from Viet Nam .

Spain and Portugal in early January refused to allow Viet Nam ’s tuna and sword fish into their markets on the ground that the country has neither become a member nor have any cooperation agreement with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and its fishing vessels have not been registered at the organisation.

The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) said that the proposal was made in a document recently sent by the EC’s Fish and Sea Issues and Trade Departments to the EU members.

However, the EC said Viet Nam should submit a certificate that the fish are caught at the country’s exclusive economic zone when exporting tuna and sword fish to EU countries.

EC officials also recommended that Viet Nam register cooperation regulations with the WCPFC.-Enditem