EU Recognises Indian Shrimp Exports

Ø EU Includes India in Revised Draft List for Continued Export of Aquaculture Products to European Market from September 2026

Ø EU Emerges as India’s Third-Largest Seafood Export Market in 2025–26; Exports Rise Over 41 Per Cent in Value Terms

Ø MPEDA and EIC Efforts on Regulatory Compliance and Responsible Aquaculture Practices Receive Recognition in EU Draft List Revision

Ø National Residue Control Programme, Rigorous Testing and Surveillance Systems Strengthen India’s Food Safety and Residue Monitoring Framework

Key Highlights

· The European Union has included India in its revised draft list published on 12 May 2026 for continued export of aquaculture products to the EU market beyond September 2026.

· The revision addresses concerns arising from the earlier omission of India in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598 issued on 4 October 2024.

· The revised draft follows India’s compliance with European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/905 regarding restrictions on antimicrobial medicinal products in food-producing animals.

· The EU stated that countries included in the updated list demonstrated compliance with EU rules on antimicrobial use and provided necessary regulatory guarantees and assurances.

· India’s inclusion reflects EU confidence in India’s:

o Food safety standards

o Residue monitoring mechanisms

o Regulatory and surveillance systems

o Quality assurance framework

· Once formally adopted by the European Commission, the revised regulation is expected to ensure uninterrupted exports of Indian aquaculture products to the EU market after September 2026.

· The European Union emerged as India’s third-largest seafood export market during 2025–26.

· India’s seafood exports to the EU accounted for 18.94% of total export value, amounting to US$ 1.593 billion.

· Seafood exports to the EU recorded strong growth over 2024–25:

o Export value increased by 41.45%

o Export quantity rose by 38.29%

· Farmed shrimp remained the major component of India’s seafood exports to the EU.

· The development recognises efforts by:

o Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)

o Export Inspection Council (EIC)

· Key initiatives strengthening India’s compliance framework include:

o National Residue Control Programme (NRCP)

o Post Harvest Testing Programme

o Rigorous testing and surveillance for banned antibiotics

o Monitoring of pharmacologically active substances

o Stakeholder training and awareness programmes

· India has continuously strengthened systems relating to:

o Veterinary medicinal products

o Antimicrobial residue monitoring

o Traceability systems

o Quality assurance in aquaculture and seafood processing

· The proposed inclusion is seen as a positive result of ongoing India-EU technical engagement and regulatory cooperation.

· The move is expected to support:

o Growth in seafood exports

o Employment generation

o Higher foreign exchange earnings for India’s seafood sector.

[ABS News Service/15.05.2026]

India has been included in the revised draft list published by the European Union on 12 May 2026 for continued export of aquaculture products to the EU market, addressing concerns arising from the earlier omission in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598 issued on 4 October 2024. The earlier regulation had not included India among third countries authorised to export products of animal origin intended for human consumption to the EU from September 2026.

The revised draft list follows compliance measures undertaken by India in line with the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/905, which requires exporting countries to ensure that animals and animal products exported to the EU are free from the use of antimicrobial medicinal products for growth promotion and antimicrobials reserved for human treatment.

The European Commission, in its press communication dated 12 May 2026, stated that the updated list includes countries that have demonstrated compliance with EU restrictions on antimicrobial use in food-producing animals and have provided the necessary guarantees and assurances under EU regulations.

India’s proposed inclusion is a major positive development for the country’s seafood export sector and reflects the European Union’s confidence in India’s regulatory systems, residue monitoring mechanisms and food safety standards. Once formally adopted by the European Commission, the revised regulation is expected to ensure uninterrupted export of Indian aquaculture products to the EU market beyond September 2026.

The European Union is one of the key destinations for Indian seafood exports. During 2025–26, the EU emerged as the third-largest market for Indian seafood exports, accounting for 18.94 per cent of total export value, worth US$ 1.593 billion. Exports to the EU recorded significant growth over 2024–25, with export value rising by 41.45 per cent and quantity by 38.29 per cent. Farmed shrimp continued to constitute the major share of exports to the region.

The development also recognises sustained efforts undertaken by the Department of Commerce through organisations such as the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the Export Inspection Council (EIC) to strengthen regulatory compliance and promote responsible aquaculture practices.

Initiatives including the National Residue Control Programme (NRCP), Post Harvest Testing Programme, rigorous testing and surveillance systems for banned antibiotics and pharmacologically active substances, as well as stakeholder training and awareness programmes, have significantly strengthened India’s food safety and residue monitoring framework.

India has consistently enhanced its systems relating to veterinary medicinal products, antimicrobial residues, traceability and quality assurance in aquaculture production and seafood processing. The proposed inclusion is viewed as a positive outcome of continued technical engagement and regulatory cooperation between India and the European Union, and is expected to support export growth, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings from the seafood sector.