European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Irina Popescu
Revising the fisheries control system [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 30 May 2018, the European Commission issued a proposal to revise the fisheries control system by modernising and simplifying the monitoring of fisheries activities, improving the enforcement and updating a control system that was conceived before the 2013 CFP reform. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Fisheries [Policy Podcast]
The European Union has sole responsibility for the conservation of its marine fisheries resources, and manages them under the common fisheries policy (CFP). Launched in 1983 and reformed every ten years since then, the CFP has come a long way. Continue reading
Multiannual plan for fisheries in the Western Waters [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 23 March 2018, the European Commission proposed a multiannual plan for management of fisheries in a northeast Atlantic area along the western coast of the EU, known as the Western Waters. Continue reading
Multiannual plan for demersal fisheries in the western Mediterranean [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 8 March 2018, the European Commission proposed a multiannual plan for the western Mediterranean fisheries exploiting several stocks of fish and crustaceans living close to the sea bottom (i.e. ‘demersal fisheries’). Most of these stocks have long been overfished and are now in an alarming state. Continue reading
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
The IUU Regulation (1005/2008) is the core of EU’s legal framework for action against global IUU fishing. Its primary objective is to prevent, deter and eliminate the trade of IUU-caught products into the EU. One of its key components is a multiple-step procedure for dealing with non-EU countries considered uncooperative in the fight against IUU fishing. Continue reading
Transposing international measures for Atlantic tuna fisheries into EU law [EU Legislation in Progress]
Following the approval, in June 2017, of the outcome of interinstitutional negotiations by the Committee on fisheries, the European Parliament is due to vote on a proposal for a regulation concerning the conservation of tuna and tuna-like species, and the management of fisheries targeting these stocks in the Atlantic Ocean (including adjacent seas such as the Mediterranean), with a view to reaching a first-reading agreement. Continue reading
Multiannual plan for North Sea demersal fisheries [EU Legislation in Progress]
After recent adoption of a plan concerning the Baltic Sea, this multiannual plan for North Sea demersal fisheries is the second management plan proposed by the European Commission since the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy agreed at the end of 2013. Such multiannual tools are essential for the sustainable exploitation of marine resources and offer better predictability on catches allowed to fishermen over time. They also set a framework for improved cooperation between the concerned Member States at sea regional level. Continue reading
New rules for managing the EU external fishing fleet [EU Legislation in Progress]
The European Parliament and the Council have adopted a new Regulation on the sustainable management of external fishing fleets, which replaces the ‘Fishing Authorisations Regulation’ 1006/2008, and covers all EU vessels fishing outside EU waters, as well as third-country vessels fishing in EU waters. Continue reading
Multiannual plan for small pelagic fish stocks in the Adriatic Sea [EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Irina Popescu (2nd edition, updated on 9.11.2018), On 9 October 2018, Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries (PECH) adopted its report on a proposed multiannual plan to manage fisheries of small pelagic fish stocks (anchovy and sardine) in the Adriatic Sea. These stocks, which are in a poor state, are managed under a complex legal … Continue reading
Overhauling fisheries technical measures [EU Legislation in Progress]
Technical measures in fisheries govern the different fishing practices that can be used to catch fish, as well as the areas and seasons for fishing. Aimed at limiting unwanted catches and the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems, EU technical measures have developed over time into a notoriously complicated regulatory structure, which came to be seen as a plethora of ineffective rules under rigid governance. Continue reading
Adapting EU fisheries legislation to the landing obligation [EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Irina Popescu (final edition) The landing obligation, designed to end the practice of ‘discarding’ fish, is a central component of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy adopted in December 2013. In order to review the specific measures in current legislation which conflict with the landing obligation, the Commission has put forward an ‘omnibus proposal’ … Continue reading
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