§ Mr. FallonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons imports of sturgeon from Iran and caviar from the United Arab Emirates have been banned; what steps have been taken by his Department to have the bans lifted; and what compensation is available to United Kingdom fish merchants who have lost business as a result of the bans. [50723]
§ Mr. RookerThe United Arab Emirates is unable to export fishery products to the EU because it is not included in the list of countries authorised to do so under current EU hygiene measures. Transitional arrangements which allowed imports from unlisted countries ended on 1 July 1998. The United Arab Emirates did not provide sufficient guarantees to the Commission by this date and has therefore not been added to the list. It is a matter for the competent authority in the United Arab Emirates to provide such guarantees. Iran is included in a list of countries allowed to continue existing export trade of fishery products to individual Member States until 31 January 1999. There is no compensation available to fish merchants who have lost business as a result of EU hygiene measures.