EU Approves Continued Indian Seafood Exports 2026

India has been included in the European Union’s revised draft list for continued export of aquaculture products to the EU market from September 2026. The revised list was published on May 12, 2026 after concerns over India’s earlier omission from the EU regulation issued in October 2024.

The revised draft follows compliance measures taken by India under EU rules requiring exported animal products to be free from antimicrobial medicinal products used for growth promotion and antimicrobials reserved for human treatment.

The European Commission said countries included in the updated list demonstrated compliance with EU restrictions on antimicrobial use and provided necessary guarantees under EU regulations.

India’s proposed inclusion reflects the EU’s confidence in India’s regulatory systems, residue monitoring mechanisms and food safety standards. Once formally adopted, the revised regulation is expected to ensure uninterrupted exports beyond September 2026.

The European Union emerged as India’s third largest seafood export market in 2025-26, accounting for 18.94% of total export value worth US$ 1.593 billion.

Exports to the EU rose sharply over 2024-25, with export value increasing 41.45% and quantity rising 38.29%. Farmed shrimp remained the major share of exports to the region.

The development also recognises efforts by MPEDA and EIC to strengthen regulatory compliance and promote responsible aquaculture practices.

India also strengthened its food safety and residue monitoring framework through the National Residue Control Programme, post harvest testing programme, rigorous testing and surveillance systems for banned antibiotics and stakeholder training programmes.