The European Union (EU) has completely lifted the ban on fisheries exports from Sri Lanka, the Government Information Department said today.

The EU announced the ban on October 14, 2014, to become effective in three months.

Prior to the ban imposed in January 2015, the EU accounted for nearly one-third of Sri Lanka’s fish exports in terms of volume and about 40 per cent of the exports in terms of revenue.

Sri Lanka was the second biggest exporter of fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna to the EU in 2013.

The new government which came to power in January 2015, promised to get the ban lifted. Recently, the government expressed confidence of getting the ban lifted within this year.