30. 1. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 23/13 
Opinion on the market for sardines in the Community: situation and outlook 
(89/C 23/07) 
On 15 December 1987 the Economic and Social Committee, acting under the fourth paragraph 
of Article 20 of its Rules of Procedure, decided to draw up an Opinion on the situation of 
the herring market and the market in the Community: situation and outlook. 
On 29 September 1988 the Economic and Social Committee decided to split the document 
into two parts and draw up two separate Opinions. 
The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Com­
mittee's work on the market for sardines in the Community: situation and outlook, adopted 
its Opinion on 3 November 1988, in the light of the report by Mr Bensabat Ferraz da Silva. 
At its 260th plenary session (meeting of 23 November 1988), the Economic and Social 
Committee unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee warmly welcomes the Com­
mission's move to assess the main features of the Com­
munity sardine industry, in the light of the recent 
accession of Spain and Portugal. 
1.2. The definition of new guidelines for the sector 
must take account of its changed situation. 
1.3. The accession of Spain and Portugal brought a 
radical change in the position of the Community sardine 
industry, and in the balance between Mediterranean 
and Atlantic production. Atlantic production rose from 
15% of total catches to 70%, while Mediterranean 
production fell from 85 % to 30 %. 
1.4. The Community sardine canning industry 
moved from deficit into overall surplus, if we include 
the quotas from third countries which have concluded 
agreements with the Community. 
1.5. These changes bring a need for an assessment 
of the new situation. Goals must be defined for a policy 
for the sector, priorities established, and a list made of 
the resources and instruments which are available or 
could be made available. 
1.6. The Committee would stress most strongly that 
although these goals must take account of the preferen­
tial trade relations with certain third countries, they 
must also be consistent with the Community context 
of the future policy. 
1.7. On the whole, the Committee considers that the 
Commission report provides a clear analysis of the 
sector's present situation, its serious vulnerability, its 
economic and above all social importance, and the overriding need to keep up current levels of fishing and 
of activity throughout the sector. 
1.8. The Committee notes that sardines are not a 
threatened species; current catch levels in the Member 
States are perfectly acceptable given existing stocks, and 
could even be increased without upsetting the biological 
balance. 
1.9. In many regions of the Community, the econ­
omic survival of the population depends to a large 
extent on the resources of the sea. The Committee 
draws attention to the serious social problems which 
could ensue from measures to reduce activity in the 
sector (1). 
1.10. Economic activity generated by sardines is cru­
cial to the survival of many coastal communities in 
Portugal and North West Spain, as well as the Mediter­
ranean regions of Spain, France, Italy and Greece. 
1.11. While recognizing that the report represents a 
preliminary assessment to prepare the way for further 
developments, the Committee regrets the sombre out­
look which it projects, and the inadequacy of the sup­
port measures proposed. 
1.12. Insufficient emphasis is placed on the fact that 
unless solutions are found, sardine fishing will cease to 
be attractive and will be abandoned. Fishermen will 
instead turn towards demersal varieties, with all the 
implication this is likely to have for the conservation 
of stocks. 
(J) See the ESC Opinions on social aspects of sea fishing (OJ 
No C 237, 12. 9. 1988, p. 1) and current situation and medium-
term prospects of the Community fisheries sector (OJ 
No C 104, 25. 4. 1985, p. 12). 
No C 23/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 1. 89 
Despite the protective measures taken annually by the 
Community—consisting chiefly of fishing quotas and 
rules on the mesh size of fishing nets—the depletion of 
marine resources, particularly in some areas, is causing 
concern to scientists and trade interests. 
1.13. In the Committee's view, the Commission 
report: 
— does not give sufficient weight (in the form of con­
crete proposals) to the close links and dependence 
which tie producers to the industrial part of the 
sector, and to the fact that the various branches of 
the sector form an indissoluble whole, 
— suggests that the Community industry will face 
more competition problems in the future because of 
commitments made with third countries, without 
adequate compensation for the disadvantageous 
conditions which Community operators have to 
contend with, 
— does not suggest overall accompanying measures to 
fight the decline in the sardine and processed prod­
uct sectors, 
— completely overlooks the social aspects, despite the 
sector's present difficulties and foreseeable prob­
lems in the future, with particular reference to the 
impact of commitments made with third countries. 
1.14. Given the challenges to be faced, and the pack­
age of Community measures needed to modernize the 
fleet and improve the efficiency of the processing indus­
tries and marketing networks, the Committee feels that 
the Commission should perhaps make more effective 
use of existing mechanisms covering structures, markets 
and specific measures. 
1.15. The Commission recognizes the special diffi­
culties faced by the sector in Spain and Portugal. How­
ever, the situation of the entire Community sardine 
sector is likely to get worse after 1 January 1989, when 
Morocco is to be granted an annual duty-free quota of 
17 500 tonnes of processed and canned sardines. 
1.16. Given the economic and social importance of 
the sector in these two countries in particular, and the 
Commission's recognition of the need to take appropri­
ate action, the Committee asks the Commission to 
consider activating, for Portugal and North West Spain, 
the mechanism provided under Article 32 (Title X) of 
Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86. 
1.16.1. A well as easing real difficulties and reducing 
imbalances and loss of competitiveness, such a measure 
could in the longer term help to eliminate the sector's 
structural shortcomings. 2. Specific comments 
2.1. Supply 
2.1.1. The Committee agrees with the Commission 
on the need to modernize the sardine fleet in order to 
improve the quality of the product both for the con­
sumer and for the industry. The safeguarding of existing 
production capacity would also encourage the building 
of new vessels which meet the technical requirements 
for improving productivity and the quality of catches 
landed. 
2.1.2. The Committee stresses that an improvement 
in unloading and transport facilities is crucial to the 
efficiency of a revitalized fleet. Adjustments are thus 
also needed in these areas. 
2.1.3. Given the particular vulnerability of the sector 
and the difficulties facing producers, the Committee 
feels that encouragement should also be given to non-
traditional production outlets, particularly those which 
will give the sector more added value. 
2.1.4. Producers' organizations have an important 
role to play. They provide a particularly good vehicle 
for the implementation of these objectives and should 
receive support for this. 
2.2. Processing 
2.1.1. The Community's canning industry is an 
important factor in the economy of many regions. For 
the sardine sector it is absolutely vital, representing 
50% of production in some Member States. In these 
States in particular, it lacks the support it needs to 
modernize, specialize and diversify production. 
2.2.2. The Committee considers that efforts must 
first concentrate on technological innovation, to allow 
greater product diversification and to improve intrinsic 
quality and presentation. This would inevitably boost 
consumption figures. 
2.2.3. Consumption patterns in the Community as a 
whole show that there is still room for improvement. 
An increase in exports to third countries also seems 
feasible. 
2.2.4. The Committee notes that some of the prob­
lems facing the Community canning industry, like its 
economic and commercial problems, are aggravated by 
the volume of imports from third countries in overall 
Community consumption. 
The situation is further worsened by the prices charged 
by certain third countries, which in some cases seem to 
30. 1. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 23/15 
be lower than real costs. The Committee urges the 
Commission to give thought to this problems. 
2.2.5. The Committee stresses the political and econ­
omic importance of the Community's agreements with 
third countries. However, these must take account of 
the Community situation, particularly in the case of 
trade concessions which could unbalance the Com­
munity market or lead to some Member States receiving 
less favoured treatment. In these cases, they must be 
backed by adequate compensatory measures for the 
sectors most seriously affected. 
Of course, compensatory measures are only a palliative. 
The real solution would be to set a Community import 
level which is compatible with the capacity of the EC 
sardine fleet and processing industry. 
2.2.5.1. The Committee again points out that the 
cost of these measures should not be defrayed by the 
fisheries budget. 
2.2.6. Turning to imports, and the need to guard 
against possible distortions in competition, the Com­
mittee endorses the Commission's proposals to intro­
duce minimum product quality standards. To improve 
transparency in competition, the Community should 
fix a threshold price for sardines from third countries, 
in particular Morocco. 
2.2.7. To revitalize the sector, investment is also 
needed in technological research into new sardine-based 
products. These should be more attractively presented, 
and easier to prepare. 
2.2.8. The Committee urges the Commission to 
investigate ways of expanding the markets for sardines, 
e.g. the possibility of using them as food aid for regions 
in need. 
2.3. Marketing 
2.3.1. Stringent quality criteria are needed if we are 
to boost overall consumption patterns and increase the 
domestic market for canned and fresh sardines and new 
sardine products. 
Done at Brussels, 23 November 1988. 2.3.2. The search for new ways of marketing sardines 
—filleted, marinated, smoked, or in the form of paste, 
pulp, surimi, etc.—is bound to boost the Community 
market for sardines, thereby safeguarding a sector 
which is of indisputable importance to the Community. 
2.3.3. More aggressive marketing to secure new mar­
kets and improve penetration of the existing market 
calls for more effective management and appropriate 
Community incentives. 
2.3.4. The Committee would support a large-scale 
publicity campaign to increase consumption of sardines 
—a food which is rich in protein—especially in north­
ern European countries where they do not form part of 
the traditional diet. 
2.3.5. The Committee regrets the delay in adoption 
and publication of the detailed implementing rules 
referred to in Article 29 of Regulation (EEC) No 4028/ 
86. 
3. Conclusions 
3.1. The Committee considers that the Commission 
should further develop the analysis begun in the present 
report with a view to laying the foundations for a 
coherent policy for the sector, in the light of the changed 
conditions and differing situations within the Com­
munity. 
3.2. The Committee supports the principle of a tem­
porary subsidy as proposed by the Commission for 
Spain and Portugal. 
3.3. The Committee urges the Commission to con­
sider the case for other structural measures to help 
achieve its desired goals. 
3.4. Given the special nature and present position 
of the Community sardine industry, the Committee 
considers that the goals set in the report—to improve 
quality and efficiency, and to step up innovation and 
diversification—are only feasible if special accompany­
ing measures are taken to mobilize financial, human 
and technical resources, with the full involvement of all 
the sector's operators. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE