EU–Indonesia tuna agreement sparks concern over market access, EU fleet competition, and weak labour safeguards in the Indian Ocean fishery.
Draft Agreement Provides Preferential Access for Indonesian Tuna
The European Commission has published the draft EU–Indonesia agreement, granting preferential market access for tuna.
Fresh and frozen tuna fillets would be fully liberalised at 0 percent duty from the moment the agreement enters into force, with no quota restrictions. Processed tuna products would fall under tariff‑rate quotas: 5,000 tonnes per year for tuna loins and 800 tonnes per year for canned tuna, both duty‑free within their respective quotas.
Preferential access would be conditional on strict rules of origin, allowing only tuna caught by Indonesian vessels, or by EU vessels processed in Indonesia, to qualify.
Indonesia’s Dominant Position in the Indian Ocean Fishery
The proposed agreement must be understood within the wider context of the Indian Ocean tuna fishery. Indonesia is the largest tuna‑producing country in the region, supported by its extensive EEZ and a broad fleet ranging from industrial vessels to artisanal fishermen. The country holds major allocations for skipjack, bigeye and yellowfin—making Indonesia the largest overall stakeholder in the IOTC tropical tuna fisheries.
Indonesia already enjoys strong access to the EU market. Under the existing Autonomous Tariff Quota (ATQ) of 35,000 tonnes for tuna loins, the country exported approximately 33,195 tonnes between 2020 and 2023, representing around 25 percent of quota. The ATQ for 2024–2026 remains unchanged and is typically exhausted rapidly each year. Europêche warns that this competitive pressure directly impacts the EU tropical tuna purse‑seine fleet, which supplies tuna to the European canning sector.
Industry Voices Warn of Increasing Pressure on EU Fleets
Xavier Leduc, President of Europêche, stated:
“Indonesia is already a key supplier of raw material for EU canneries. Additional preferential access risks further displacing EU‑caught fish in a highly price‑sensitive market segment.”
Concerns Over Weak Labour Commitments in the Agreement
The press release points out that while the EU is strengthening its internal framework through measures such as the Forced Labour Regulation and new corporate due diligence rules intended to prevent products made under unacceptable labour conditions from entering the EU, trade agreements such as the one proposed with Indonesia rely on non‑binding commitments.
Anne‑France Mattlet, Director of the Europêche Tuna Group, commented:
“In practice, partner countries are merely encouraged, rather than required, to ratify and effectively implement core ILO conventions, with no enforceable obligations or meaningful sanctions attached. This inconsistency undermines the EU’s credibility and creates an uneven playing field for operators expected to meet high standards within the EU.”
Europêche Calls for Adjustments Before the Agreement is Finalised
Europêche is calling for several modifications before the agreement is adopted:
• The quota for tuna loins should be reduced to 800 tonnes, matching the quota for canned tuna, to avoid disproportionate exposure for EU fleets.
• Tuna fillets should not be fully liberalised but instead treated the same way as tuna loins, given their high value and their direct competition with EU vessels supplying fish under stringent environmental and sanitary standards.
• The current ATQ for tuna loins should be eliminated, as such large volumes should not coexist with new preferential access granted under trade agreements.
