Greens/EFA MEPs question Commission on shark fin exports to California

Brussels, June 15, 2023 - Four Greens/EFA MEPs, including Francisco Guerreiro, questioned the European Commission about the EU fisheries sector exporting shark fins to California.
Read the question below:

Subject: EU fishing industry exports shark fins to California
During the recent public hearing on the European citizens' initiative entitled “Stop Finning - Stop the Trade”, a representative of the European sector stated that one of the markets to which the EU exports removed shark fins is the US state of California1. This is surprising, given that in 2012 California clearly decided that “it is unlawful for any person to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade or distribute shark fins”2. Furthermore, since December 22, 2022, this law has also been applicable throughout the United States. As such, the European fisheries sector may have been infringing US federal and California state legislation for almost a decade.

(1) Is the Commission aware that the EU fishing industry has been trading in fins, notably in the state of California, ignoring conservation efforts in third countries and potentially violating their legislation?
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

2. If so, what authorization are European companies using to ship an illegal product to California and how many shipments have been made since 2012?

3. If the Commission is not aware of such practices, is it (together with the Member States) willing to cooperate fully in any investigation into shipments of fins to California that may have violated US federal and California state law?
1 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/267515/Item%201%20Mr%20VOCES%20Europeche%20powerpoint%20Finning%20EP%2027%20March%202023.pdf.
2 https://law.justia.com/codes/california/2022/code-fgc/division-3/chapter-1/section-2021/.

Read the Commission's response 

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