Export of Fish Products to the EU: New Legislative Restrictions

Starting in April 2025, the Republic of Armenia officially received permission to export aquatic cultures, particularly fish fillets and their products, to countries within the European Union. According to the regulations of the European Commission, businesses exporting fish and fish products must submit an application for registration in the EU Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) if they comply with EU standards.

The Food Safety Inspection Body (FSIB) has been designated as the competent authority for registration in the aforementioned system. To register in the system, the business entity must apply to the inspection body, and upon verification and compliance with the requirements established by EU regulations, the FSIB will register the entity's data in the system and submit it for approval to the European Commission.

This regulation was presented by Deputy Minister of Economy Tatevik Sargsyan during a meeting of the permanent committee on economic issues of the National Assembly. A legislative package proposing amendments to the laws on “Food Safety” and “State Control of Food Safety” was discussed for the first reading.

According to Article 6, part 2 of the Armenian Constitution, based on the principle of certainty, legal acts, including the requirements set forth by the European Commission's regulations, are to be integrated into domestic legislation through appropriate enabling norms.

After the adoption of these legislative proposals, it will be possible to develop and submit a package of relevant decisions for approval by the Government of Armenia, which will localize the requirements of the European Union regulations into national legislation. This will serve as a guarantee for fulfilling international obligations regarding the export of fish and fish products to EU countries. The matter has received a positive conclusion from the committee.