EFTTA to invest more funds into lobbying

EFTTA is to invest more funds into lobbying at EU level in Brussels following its decision to postpone the Youth Grant Scheme.

The move was announced by Pierangelo Zanetta in his President’s Address at the Association’s Annual General Assembly – held during EFTTEX in Paris last month.

The Youth Grant Scheme was set up to support youth fishing projects and last year EFTTA gave €12,000 in total to six organisations.

Pier Zanetta told delegates at the meeting: “We continue to work closely with the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) in jointly funded lobbying activities in Brussels. EFTTA has gained recognition at EU level and is consulted on issues related to our trade.”

Pier Zanetta also encouraged members to be pro-active at lobbying level. He said: “Jan Kappel, our lobbyist, continues to work tirelessly on our behalf. However, he needs you – the trade – to tell him what issues are important to your business so he can be pro-active on the lobbying front.”

In his welcome to Paris, Pier Zanetta confirmed that EFTTA would be increasing its Line Charter activity by introducing random line tests in a bid to expose cheats.

He said: “During the course of the year we have progressed much further with the Line Charter project and are proud to announce that we now have 32 members who have signed up. We have also launched a dedicated Line Charter website at www.efttalinecharter.com that can be accessed from the main EFTTA site via a link.

“In 2013 we aim to start randomly testing line to ensure that what the end user – the consumer – is using is correctly labeled. We also plan to send our message through the media – so please watch out for this in your country’s consumer magazines.”

Pier Zanetta added that EFTTA has produced a 30-minute documentary in conjunction with the EAA that highlights the destruction that small hydropower stations in Europe are causing to fish. He said: “It is available on DVD and we plan to distribute it throughout the industry and beyond.”

Pier Zanetta acknowledged that it has been a difficult year for the trade. “The global economy has been difficult over the last 12 months for all industries and the fishing tackle trade has not escaped.”

However, he praised the durability of EFTTEX in difficult times, adding: “We continue to attract participants from more than 70 countries, endorsing EFTTEX’s reputation as a long-term established event.

“The industry still considers it to be the main meeting point in Europe as it provides an excellent insight into the worldwide marketplace.

“This year in Paris, we had more than 250 companies exhibiting, taking a total of 6,953 sqm of floorspace.

Pier Zanetta also looked forward to 2013 and Vienna. He said: “We are looking forward to taking EFTTEX to the historically beautiful and famous Austrian capital, Vienna. The city has excellent air connections, which will be convenient for you all as well as having a state-of-the-art exhibition centre with great links to the city centre.

“And for those of you with time, there is some wonderful sightseeing to be experienced.”