Polish MEP Piotr Müller (ECR) has raised concerns that the EU's CATCH digital traceability system may impose disproportionate administrative burdens on legal raw fish imports from low-IUU-risk fisheries, potentially creating a de facto barrier to essential raw materials for EU processing plants.
In a written parliamentary question submitted on 16 June 2026, Müller asked the European Commission whether it considers the current CATCH documentation requirements proportionate for fisheries where catches are aggregated from multiple small vessels and fishing days before delivery. He highlighted wild Pacific salmon as a key example, noting that a single lot may require manual reporting of a very large number of records.
Müller also questioned how the Commission plans to address allegations that the requirements could block legal raw material needed by EU processors, and whether simplifications are planned for fisheries with high levels of aggregated catches.
The question reflects a tension between the Commission's stated goals of digitalisation and harmonisation and the practical realities of supply chains that rely on aggregated catches. If the Commission's response signals openness to exemptions or simplified procedures for low-risk fisheries, it could ease compliance costs for importers and processors. Conversely, maintaining strict requirements may protect the integrity of the traceability system but risk supply disruptions for EU fish processors, particularly in Poland.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will indicate whether it prioritises regulatory uniformity or flexibility for specific sectors. Stakeholders most affected include EU fish processors (especially in Poland), small-scale fishing operators in third countries, EU importers, and the European Commission itself as the system's architect.