Latest news from EFTTA

Calls for the creation of a single body to represent anglers’ interests in Britain have been welcomed by EFTTA, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association.

The renewed push for just one organisation to be the political force for the UK’s four million anglers, came as sea anglers were reported to be furious at proposals to make fishing from beaches and piers subject to a licence system. A similar system launched in Portugal last year has been catastrophic for fishing tackle sales.

Richard Ferre, from the National Federation of Sea Anglers, which is leading the opposition to the licences, said: “We’ve had a lot of sympathy for our position from other anglers. This is the sort of issue on which a new group can help. It makes a lot more sense if the argument comes from one large, powerful organisation.”

An EFTTA spokesman said today: “We support the initiative of creating a single body to represent the interests of UK recreational fishing. This voice would give angling the power it needs to persuade and lobby those in favour of introducing the planned costly licences for children and adults.

“The UK government needs to deliver improved fishing before EFTTA supports the introduction of sea angling licences.” More…

SCOTTISH MSP SEA ANGLING MOTION RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM EFTTA

The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) has backed a motion lodged in the Scottish Parliament by Ayr MSP and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, John Scott, which calls for continued work to safeguard and grow recreational sea angling in Scotland.

President Gregg Holloway said: “EFTTA agrees wholeheartedly with the Scottish Conservatives that the recreational sea angling sector, its huge socio-economic value and jobs and all the other good things angling has to offer people and society is grossly undervalued and overlooked.

“Angling is a sustainable fishing method which doesn’t harm the environment. It is crucial that politicians and related organisations work together to conserve and restore depleted fish stocks.

“This can and should be done in a way where recreational angling prospers and therefore remain one of the biggest Scottish pastimes – now and for future generations to come.” More…

LAUNCH OF SEPA SHOULD BENEFIT EFTTA MEMBERS

The European Commission (EC) and European Central Bank (ECB) have officially launched Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) – designed to make it simpler for businesses to make payments across 31 European countries.

Under the scheme, all euro payments are considered domestic and are made with one set of payment instruments. This means EFTTA members will eventually be able to make payments in euros to anywhere within the SEPA as quickly, safely and inexpensively as they do within a single country today.

The first phase of SEPA was introduced on January 28, when banks in 31 countries made up of the 27 EU member states, the three other European Economic Area countries (Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway) and Switzerland, started migrating customers over to the new payment instruments for credit transfers.

Many companies, including EFTTA members, currently find it difficult to make euro payments from one country to another, with payment processes and bank charges varying across borders. More…

For more information visit www.eftta.com.