Egypt seeks to expand seafood exports to Italy
Egypt aims to diversify its seafood markets and increase shipments to Italy following renewed EU approval.
EGYPT – Egypt has announced plans to grow its fish exports to Italy as part of efforts to broaden its presence in European markets.
The decision followed a meeting on February 15 between Tarek El-Houby, head of the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), and officials from the Italian Embassy in Cairo and the Italian Trade Agency.
During the talks, both sides discussed aligning health regulations, updating inspection processes, and streamlining the approval of export facilities.
The NFSA stated that the discussions focused on technical cooperation, sharing information on sanitary and regulatory requirements, easing establishment approvals, and improving market access for Egyptian seafood meeting European standards.
Egypt’s push comes after its seafood exports to the European Union were halted in 2021 due to issues found during inspections by the European Commission.
The suspension was lifted in 2024, allowing the North African nation to resume shipments to EU countries after several years of compliance work.
Trade Map data shows that Egypt exported nearly US$13 million worth of fish to the EU in 2019, with Italy accounting for 38% of these exports, making it the largest single market at the time.
The Egyptian seafood industry now faces the challenge of recovering market share that was lost to competitors during the export suspension.
In 2024, the EU imported US$48.1 billion in seafood products, representing roughly one-third of the global market, according to Trade Map statistics.
During the same year, Egypt’s total seafood shipments to international markets reached US$68.7 million, showing growth but still leaving room for expansion in Europe.
Egyptian authorities aim to capitalize on renewed EU approval and growing demand in Italy to increase the competitiveness and volume of their seafood exports.
The initiative highlights the country’s efforts to re-establish its position in a sector where regulatory compliance and market access remain critical for growth.
This strategy also signals Egypt’s interest in reducing reliance on existing markets and tapping into high-value European buyers.
The next steps will involve close monitoring of health standards and export approvals to ensure that Egyptian fishery products meet Italy’s import requirements.
If successful, the plan could gradually restore Egypt’s pre-2021 presence in European seafood markets and strengthen its export performance in key destinations.
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