The European Union has pledged to take further action to stop the fin trade. The European Commission has responded to the European Citizens' initiative "Stop Finning - Stop the Trade", asking the Commission to take action to end the international trade in shark fins.

The European Commission is acting on citizens' initiatives, including examining the opportunity to legislate an end to the fin trade, conducting impact assessments and improving the way data is collected.

The Commission will also strengthen the enforcement of traceability measures and engage with international partners to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of sharks and other living Marine resources within and outside the EU.

In response to the European Citizens' Initiative, which has the support of more than one million citizens, the Commission has committed to further action in three areas:

(1) Examine the possibility of introducing legislative measures to eliminate the trade in shark fin in bulk;

(b) Begin preparations without delay with a view to conducting an impact assessment of the environmental, social and economic consequences of the implementation of the Natural Fin policy by the end of 2023;

(3) Shark products will be allowed to be placed on the EU market, whether within the EU or for international import and export trade.

By the end of 2024, the EU will provide more detailed import and export information to improve statistics on the trade in shark products.

The European Commission will also better enforce traceability measures along the entire value chain, including the control of fishing at sea, the collection of information on shark products from landing to consumption, and the prevention and correction of illegal trade.