Hervorming visserijbeleid op agenda Raad Landbouw en Visserij (en)

Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Mette Gjerskov and Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos i.

Photo: Council of the European Union

The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy is on the agenda for the Council meeting (agriculture and fisheries) 19 March with emphasis on the EU fisheries in third countries and a ban on discard. On Tuesday 20 March the agricultural Ministers will be focusing on simplification of the CAP

“The EU has a significant responsibility for the protection of international resources and for ensuring sustainable fishery. This must be expressed by our engagement in international fisheries cooperation and the bilateral agreements between the EU and third countries. It is therefore important for me that the EU Fisheries Ministers agree on guidelines for sustainable fisheries outside the EU,” says chair of the Agricultural and Fisheries Council, Danish Minister Mette Gjerskov.

For the meeting on Monday the Presidency has put forward a proposal for Council conclusions about the EU fishery engagement in waters outside the EU - what is also known as the ‘external dimension’ of the CFP.

The proposal includes guidelines for both the conservation of fishing resources and respect for human rights and democratic development in third countries with whom the EU make fisheries agreements.

The Ministers will furthermore discuss a series of the main elements in the fisheries reform; focusing on a ban on discard, the ending of support for intervention when prises fall and how to ensure that the European Fund for Maritime and Fisheries can be an instrument for sustainable fisheries.

At the Council meeting the Ministers are also expected to confirm the support for tightening the ban on finning, which involves removing only the fins from sharks and throwing the carcasses overboard. Until now, it has been difficult to enforce the regulation, which has made it difficult to determine the size of the catch.

“The 2003 ban on finning is important for the conservation of stocks and reducing this waste of resources. It has, however, turned out not to be sufficient. So it is important with better control in order to do away with this specific kind of discard,” states Mette Gjerskov.

Simplification of the CAP

The meeting of the Council will continue on Tuesday 20 March with the simplification of the CAP being the main topic on the agenda. Simplification of the rules and the Member States administrative burdens are incorporated in the Commission’s proposal for a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. Most Member States are concerned that the Commission proposal will lead to sufficient simplification in practice.

“In the discussions of the reform proposals, all Member States have both sought and suggested simplifications of specific elements. These proposals are part of our ongoing work. The aim of the meeting is that the Ministers commit themselves to constantly be aware of the need for simplification, and to plan this into the reform before it is adopted,” states the Danish Chair of the Council.