EU drops proposed sanctions on Russian fish imports

EU ambassadors on Thursday abandoned the European Commission's proposed restrictions on Russian fish imports, following opposition from Germany, Poland, and Portugal.

Last month, the EU executive had included seafood in its latest sanctions package against Moscow, proposing a full ban on key species such as cod alongside phased restrictions on other fish products. This would have marked a first for Brussels, which banned Russian caviar in a 2022 sanctions package but has continued importing other, less-luxurious products from its neighbour — notably cod and pollock.

Fish remained a sticking point during sanctions negotiations, with several member states seeking to dilute the proposed restrictions. Seafood was ultimately dropped entirely from the package, which EU ambassadors approved on Thursday but still requires formal endorsement by all 27 member states.

The Geopolitics of Fish

The fact that seafood could complicate negotiations on a far broader sanctions package — notably targeting Russia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) — raised eyebrows among observers. In the run-up to the deal, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas even joked about the sensitivities surrounding fish during geopolitical discussions.

Germany, Poland, and Portugal led concerns over the potential economic impact of severing ties with Russian suppliers. Key details include:

• Germany and Poland are among the EU's largest importers of Russian fish, with their processing industries heavily reliant on Alaska pollock.
• Portugal depends on Russian cod, as bacalhau is deeply embedded in both the country's economy and culinary traditions.

Industry Reaction

EU fish processors and traders expressed relief following Thursday's decision, which they described as "responsible."

"It shows that effective sanctions policy and the protection of essential food supply chains can and must go hand in hand," said Guus Pastoor, president of Seafood Europe, arguing that food products require "particular care."

Meanwhile, the EU fishers' lobby Europêche has long expressed wariness about Russian imports, contending that the country is not a reliable partner in managing shared fish stocks — a concern echoed by environmental NGOs.

Unresolved Issues

While the EU decided that Russian fish shipments would not be eligible for tariff reductions in 2024, calls for higher duties have so far gone unanswered. Fishers and activists have also denounced that Russian fish can enter the EU market duty-free after being processed in Norway, and had hoped that any sanctions would target this route.