The EU is rejecting less fish and seafood products from South-east Asia than a year ago, according to reports from the region.

Less than half of Malaysian seafood exporters barred from selling to Europe in 2008 have complied with the rules and resumed exports, said the EU ambassador Vincent Piket. Out of the 26 companies disallowed, only five are back on the list and another two in the process of being re-listed, he said.

Since the ban, the industry has focused on ensuring the biggest exporters complied with the EU health standards.

In June 2008, the Malaysian government voluntarily decided to temporarily freeze exports of aquaculture products to the EU after exporters failed to meet health standards. The move caused some seafood processors to appeal to the state government for help as they had been severely hit by the ban.

In India, the number of rejections of Indian shrimp (scampi) by the EU has fallen drastically after the modalities of testing the exports for the banned antibiotic nitrofuran were modified last September.

This year, the EU reveals only one rejection compared to more than 50 rejections last year before revised testing formula was introduced.