The European Commission has stated that the ban on the purchase of fishery products from Sri Lanka imposed since the island had failed to take necessary steps to halt the fishing while violating maritime boundaries and several conditions imposed by the European Union, would continue.

The Commission has also stated that the discussions with Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs Mangala Samaraweera in Brussels last week had been very positive.

The Commission has further added that during these discussions Minister Mangala Samaraweera had agreed to take several measures to strengthen Sri Lanka’s fishery industry and that if the European Union is satisfied with these moves it would take action to lift this ban.

While expressing its latest position, the European Commission has said till such time, the imposed ban would be in place.

While Sri Lanka’s fishery product companies annually export around 1,500 tonnes of their products to Europe, these companies are on the verge of closing down due to this ban.

Some 50 per cent of Sri Lanka’s fisher products are purchased by the European Union, the country earns an annual income of some USD 200 million.