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Af redaktion 07-10 2009 - 13:56

The European Union plans to lower customs duty on shrimp from six percent to zero for third-world countries in an effort to increase commodity supplies to the European fishing industry.

But this can have consequences for the Greenlandic shrimp suppliers, who are already struggling with low prices. The Greenlanders have until now had a special agreement with the EU to ensure the export of shrimp to the EU without tariffs.

Greenland is looking at the proposal very seriously because it probably will mean increased competition from Canadian shrimp, which would become even cheaper.

‘It certainly wouldn’t mean higher prices for raw material suppliers,’ said Anders Brøns, managing director of Polar Seafood.

Royal Greenland is also worried.

‘It will have serious consequences for the fishermen, farmers and for the country as a whole,’ said Paviaaraq Heilmann, Royal Greenland’s director of corporate management.

Denmark is aware of Greenland’s position, but it has had to weigh the interests of the commonwealth against that of its fishing industry. And the Danish government will likely endorse the proposal as part of a compromise between the EU's 27 member countries, said Jakob Nielsen Munkhøj from the Ministry of Food and Fisheries’ policy office.

‘Denmark can support the compromise that the European Commission has presented. We are at a point in the process where we cannot oppose it, as 26 other countries are behind it. But Greenland's concerns have been raised by the Danish negotiators in Brussels, Munkhøj told Sermitsiaq.gl.

The self-rule government's representation in Brussels responded Wednesday by writing to the European Commission, said Inuuteq Holm Olsen of the Foreign Affairs department.

‘We’re making the EU aware that we believe it is taking a damaging step. It’s inconsistent with the EU also wanting greater influence in the Arctic,’ said Olsen.