Press release

No.: 65/05
Date: 22.04.2005

The European Commission to introduce a provisional anti-dumping duty

The Norwegian authorities have been informed that the European Commission will introduce a provisional anti-dumping duty on salmon imports from 27 April.

“In my view, there is no basis for the EU to introduce anti-dumping measures on imports of Norwegian salmon. The Norwegian fish farming industry is efficient and competitive and does not receive any form of state aid. It is not selling salmon on the EU market in contravention of WTO rules. As I said earlier, I would be prepared to pursue the EU anti-dumping measures in the WTO, just as we did with the safeguard measures,” said Foreign Minister Jan Petersen.

“The salmon industry has had to live with trade restrictions, or threats of such restrictions, on exports to the EU market for nearly 15 years. After the Salmon Agreement was terminated in 2003, we had a well founded hope that we could put the matter behind us. Unfortunately this did not turn out to be the case,” said Mr Petersen.

He pointed out that only nine months after the Salmon Agreement was terminated, the European Commission started a new process that led to the introduction of provisional safeguard measures on all imports of farmed salmon to the EU from August to December last year, followed by permanent safeguard measures from February this year. Now the European Commission is withdrawing the safeguard measures in response to strong protests from Member States that do not want to see higher prices for imported Norwegian salmon.

“I note that the EU safeguard measures on Norwegian salmon will be withdrawn. However, the introduction of an anti-dumping duty in their place puts the Norwegian salmon industry in a very difficult situation, for one thing because it only affects Norwegian salmon, and not salmon from competitor countries,” said Mr Petersen.

“The authorities and the salmon industry have a close and open dialogue with a view to finding the best possible solution for the industry,” he said. “The Norwegian authorities have been in dialogue with the Commission on several occasions, and we have suggested various solutions in order to avoid restrictions on the salmon trade. Our suggestions have been rejected by the Commission. The Norwegian authorities are, of course, still willing to discuss solutions that are compatible with WTO rules,” said Mr Petersen.