Parliament adopted by 461 votes to 131, with 42 abstentions, a resolution on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in response to the Commission Communication on the subject.

The main recommendations in the resolution are as follows:

1. Environmental sustainability: Parliament considers that the prime objective of any fisheries policy to be to ensure the supply of fish to the public and the development of coastal communities, promoting employment and better working conditions for fishing professionals while seeking to establish resources on a sustainable footing which makes for proper conservation.

The resolution stresses that the Common Fisheries Policy must apply the precautionary approach to fisheries management and ensure that the sustainable exploitation of living marine biological resources restores and maintains populations of all stocks of harvested species at levels close to those capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY).

In this context, Parliament:

maintains that the reformed policy must be coordinated more closely with other EU policies such as cohesion policy, environmental policy, agricultural policy and external policy; stresses that any and every fisheries policy should take account of a multitude of dimensions – social, environmental and economic ; believes that the objective of achieving MSY based on fishing mortality (FMSY) should be implemented immediately, as this will contribute significantly to putting the sustainability of stocks on the right track; calls on the Commission to provide for the establishment of long-term management plans (LTMPs) for all EU fisheries and for the use of the ecosystem approach as a basis for all such plans, with clearly defined objectives and harvest control rules playing a pivotal role in each plan, believes that the gradual elimination of discards should be fishery-based and depend on the characteristics and realities of the different modalities and fisheries; calls on the Commission to assess the possibility of establishing a network of closed areas in which all fishing activities are prohibited for a certain period of time in order to increase fish productivity and conserve living aquatic resources and the marine ecosystem; believes that the reliability and availability of scientific data and socio-economic impact assessments relating to different stocks, and their respective ecosystems, must be one of the highest priorities of the reform.

2. Socio-economic sustainability: Members consider that living marine resources to be a common public asset , which cannot be privatised. They reject the creation of private property rights for access to exploit this public asset.

The resolution:

states that ‘ transferable fishing concessions’ (TFCs) proposed by the Commission should be voluntary in nature and subject to Member States’ discretion; believes that priority access to fishing grounds should be offered to those who fish in a socially and environmentally responsible way; calls on the Commission to come up with suitable measures to improve fuel efficiency in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and an action plan for coastal regions and islands, in particular the outermost regions; reaffirms the need for strict monitoring and certification of fisheries products entering the Union market, in order to ensure that they meet the same requirements with which Union producers have to comply – for example with regard to labelling, traceability, phytosanitary regulations and minimum size; considers that the fisheries and extensive aquaculture sectors must be seen as important direct and indirect sources of job creation that vitalise the economy in maritime regions while also contributing to food security in the EU; stresses the need to make careers in fishing attractive and to make standards of qualification and training meet international and European requirements.

3) Regionalisation: Parliament shares the view expressed in the Commission proposal regarding the need for adaptation and specific measures based on the disparate realities of the European fishing and aquaculture industry, especially in the case of the Union ’s coastal areas and outermost regions . They support the idea of establishing regionalisation as one of the main instruments of this new form of governance. The resolution:

believes that the reform should be an opportunity for a significant move towards a new form of cooperation between the scientific community, industry and the social partners , in order to implement the process of regionalisation; believes that, as far as regionalisation is concerned, clear and simple rules must be established at the appropriate level, thus increasing compliance; feels that the role of the Regional Advisory Councils should be strengthened in terms of representativeness and power. The Commission is asked to table a new proposal aimed at strengthening the participation of stakeholders and artisanal and small-scale fisheries, thus leading to genuine regionalisation under the CFP; is convinced that a more holistic and integrated view of the marine environment is needed , and that marine spatial planning at the local and regional level, involving all stakeholders, is a necessary tool in order to implement a genuine ecosystem approach to management; stresses that an ambitious and real reform of the CFP can be facilitated if sufficient financial resources are made available for the next 10 years; stresses, lastly, the need for the future EFF to offer grants for modernisation of fishing fleets on the grounds of safety, environmental protection and fuel economy.

The Committee on Fisheries adopted the own-initiative report by Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS (EFD, EL) on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in response to the Commission Communication on the subject.

The main recommendations in the report are as follows:

Environmental sustainability: Members consider that the prime objective of any fisheries policy to be to ensure the supply of fish to the public and the development of coastal communities, promoting employment and better working conditions for fishing professionals while seeking to establish resources on a sustainable footing which makes for proper conservation. The committee:

· maintains that the reformed policy must be coordinated more closely with other EU policies such as cohesion policy, environmental policy, agricultural policy and external policy;

· stresses that any and every fisheries policy should take account of a multitude of dimensions – social, environmental and economic;

· stresses that the CFP must apply the precautionary approach to fisheries management and ensure that the sustainable exploitation of living marine biological resources restores and maintains populations of all stocks of harvested species above levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY);

· believes that the objective of achieving MSY based on fishing mortality (FMSY) should be implemented immediately, as this will contribute significantly to putting the sustainability of stocks on the right track;

· calls on the Commission to provide for the establishment of long-term management plans (LTMPs) for all EU fisheries and for the use of the ecosystem approach as a basis for all such plans, with clearly defined objectives and harvest control rules playing a pivotal role in each plan,

· believes that the gradual elimination of discards should be fishery-based and depend on the characteristics and realities of the different modalities and fisheries;

· believes that the reliability and availability of scientific data and socio-economic impact assessments relating to different stocks, and their respective ecosystems, must be one of the highest priorities of the reform.

Socio-economic sustainability : Members consider that living marine resources to be a common public asset , which cannot be privatised. They reject the creation of private property rights for access to exploit this public asset.

The report:

· states that ‘transferable fishing concessions’ (TFCs) proposed by the Commission should be voluntary in nature and subject to Member States’ discretion;

· believes that priority access to fishing grounds should be offered to those who fish in a socially and environmentally responsible way;

· calls on the Commission to come up with suitable measures to improve fuel efficiency in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and an action plan for coastal regions and islands, in particular the outermost regions;

· reaffirms the need for strict monitoring and certification of fisheries products entering the Union market, in order to ensure that they meet the same requirements with which Union producers have to comply – for example with regard to labelling, traceability, phytosanitary regulations and minimum size;

· considers that the fisheries and extensive aquaculture sectors must be seen as important direct and indirect sources of job creation that vitalise the economy in maritime regions while also contributing to food security in the EU;

· stresses the need to make careers in fishing attractive and to make standards of qualification and training meet international and European requirements.

Regionalisation: Members share the view expressed in the Commission proposal regarding the need for adaptation and specific measures based on the disparate realities of the European fishing and aquaculture industry, especially in the case of the Union’s coastal areas and outermost regions. They support the idea of establishing regionalisation as one of the main instruments of this new form of governance. The report:

believes that the reform should be an opportunity for a significant move towards a new form of cooperation between the scientific community, industry and the social partners, in order to implement the process of regionalisation; believes that, as far as regionalisation is concerned, clear and simple rules must be established at the appropriate level, thus increasing compliance; feels that the role of the Regional Advisory Councils should be strengthened in terms of representativeness and power. The Commission is asked to table a new proposal aimed at strengthening the participation of stakeholders and artisanal and small-scale fisheries, thus leading to genuine regionalisation under the CFP; is convinced that a more holistic and integrated view of the marine environment is needed, and that marine spatial planning at the local and regional level, involving all stakeholders, is a necessary tool in order to implement a genuine ecosystem approach to management; stresses, lastly, that an ambitious and real reform of the CFP can be facilitated if sufficient financial resources are made available for the next 10 years.

PURPOSE: presentation of a Commission communication on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

BACKGROUND: the 2009 Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) concluded that the policy is not achieving its key objectives: (i) fish stocks are overfished, the economic situation of

parts of the fleet is fragile despite receiving high levels of subsidies; (ii) jobs in the fishing sector are unattractive; (iii) and the situation of many coastal communities depending on fisheries is precarious.

Against this background, the Commission is proposing an ambitious reform of the policy . This reform is about putting in place the conditions for a better future for fish and fisheries alike, as well as the marine environment that supports them.

Sustainability is at the heart of the proposed reform . According to best estimates5, if stocks were exploited at maximum sustainable yield, this would increase stock sizes by about 70%. Overall catches would increase by around 17%, profit margins could be multiplied by a factor of three, return on investments would be six times higher, and the gross value-added for the catching industry would rise by almost 90%.

According to best estimates, if stocks were exploited at maximum sustainable yield, this would increase stock sizes by about 70%. Overall catches would increase by around 17%, profit margins could be multiplied by a factor of three, return on investments would be six times higher, and the gross value-added for the catching industry would rise by almost 90%.

Fishing sustainably would free the catching sector from depending on public support . It would also make it easier to achieve stable prices under transparent conditions, bringing clear benefits for consumers. Fishing sustainably is essential for the future of coastal communities , which in some cases will need specific measures to help manage their small-scale coastal fleets. The Commission proposes to develop the CFP as part of the broader maritime economy.

The CFP reform package consists of the following components:

a legislative proposal for a Basic Regulation (replacing Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002), a legislative proposal for a Market Policy (replacing Council Regulation (EC) No.104/2000), a Communication on the External Dimension of the CFP , a Report on Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002 , regarding the chapters Conservation and Sustainability and Adjustment of Fishing Capacity, and on Article 17(2) on fleet access restriction to 12 nautical miles.

In the context of the Multi-annual Financial Framework and the Financial Perspectives, the Commission has scheduled a legislative proposal for the future financial instrument 2014-2020 in support of the CFP for adoption later in 2011.

CONTENT: a summary of new measures proposed in the CFP reform package is as follows:

Conservation and sustainability

maximum Sustainable Yield as conservation target with deadline (2015); elimination of discards through landing obligation and necessary management rules with timeline for introduction; multi-annual plans focused on essential objectives, targets, boundaries and time frames, based on the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management; authorisation for Member States to take measures under EU law on multi-annual plans and technical conservation measures; fast-track procedures to adopt fisheries measures needed under environmental management (Natura 2000).

Data and Science

obligation for Member States to collect and provide data, and to prepare (regional) multiannual data collection programmes; national fisheries research programmes with regional coordination among Member States.

Access to resources and fleet capacity

transferable fishing concessions mandatory for large-scale fleets — with transferability at national level; moving away from fleet-related subsidies.

Aquaculture

National strategic plans 2014-2020 on promotion of aquaculture; set up of a new Advisory Council for Aquaculture.

Market policy

empowerment of Producers Organisations and Inter-branch Organisations to increase their role and responsibility on production and marketing planning with emphasis in sustainable fishery resource management and reducing the impact of the aquaculture activities; modification of intervention regime, by setting up one single intervention mechanism for storage; fixing intervention prices at decentralised and adequate level; strengthened consumer information and review of marketing standards.

Governance

expand the role of Advisory Councils in the implementation of the CFP at regional level; new approach to stakeholder involvement on horizontal issues not covered by the Advisory Councils.

Financial instrument

full alignment with the Europe 2020 Strategy; conditionality provisions on compliance with the rules — both applicable to Member States and to individual operators.

External dimension

Regional Fisheries Management Organisations — enhanced EU involvement in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations to strengthen science, control and compliance within these fora in order to improve their performance; Multilateral level — joint actions with EU’s most important partners aimed at combating IUU fishery and reducing overcapacity; better coherence between EU fisheries, development, trade and environment policies; sustainable Fisheries Agreements — enhanced science base and clear identification of surplus resources in partner countries to ensure sustainable fishing practices in these countries by our fleet;

larger financial contribution by industry and establishment of a high-quality governance framework. Human rights clause should be included in all future agreements.

PURPOSE: presentation of a Commission communication on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

BACKGROUND: the 2009 Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) concluded that the policy is not achieving its key objectives: (i) fish stocks are overfished, the economic situation of

parts of the fleet is fragile despite receiving high levels of subsidies; (ii) jobs in the fishing sector are unattractive; (iii) and the situation of many coastal communities depending on fisheries is precarious.

Against this background, the Commission is proposing an ambitious reform of the policy . This reform is about putting in place the conditions for a better future for fish and fisheries alike, as well as the marine environment that supports them.

Sustainability is at the heart of the proposed reform . According to best estimates5, if stocks were exploited at maximum sustainable yield, this would increase stock sizes by about 70%. Overall catches would increase by around 17%, profit margins could be multiplied by a factor of three, return on investments would be six times higher, and the gross value-added for the catching industry would rise by almost 90%.

According to best estimates, if stocks were exploited at maximum sustainable yield, this would increase stock sizes by about 70%. Overall catches would increase by around 17%, profit margins could be multiplied by a factor of three, return on investments would be six times higher, and the gross value-added for the catching industry would rise by almost 90%.

Fishing sustainably would free the catching sector from depending on public support . It would also make it easier to achieve stable prices under transparent conditions, bringing clear benefits for consumers. Fishing sustainably is essential for the future of coastal communities , which in some cases will need specific measures to help manage their small-scale coastal fleets. The Commission proposes to develop the CFP as part of the broader maritime economy.

The CFP reform package consists of the following components:

a legislative proposal for a Basic Regulation (replacing Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002), a legislative proposal for a Market Policy (replacing Council Regulation (EC) No.104/2000), a Communication on the External Dimension of the CFP , a Report on Council Regulation (EC) No. 2371/2002 , regarding the chapters Conservation and Sustainability and Adjustment of Fishing Capacity, and on Article 17(2) on fleet access restriction to 12 nautical miles.

In the context of the Multi-annual Financial Framework and the Financial Perspectives, the Commission has scheduled a legislative proposal for the future financial instrument 2014-2020 in support of the CFP for adoption later in 2011.

CONTENT: a summary of new measures proposed in the CFP reform package is as follows:

Conservation and sustainability

maximum Sustainable Yield as conservation target with deadline (2015); elimination of discards through landing obligation and necessary management rules with timeline for introduction; multi-annual plans focused on essential objectives, targets, boundaries and time frames, based on the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management; authorisation for Member States to take measures under EU law on multi-annual plans and technical conservation measures; fast-track procedures to adopt fisheries measures needed under environmental management (Natura 2000).

Data and Science

obligation for Member States to collect and provide data, and to prepare (regional) multiannual data collection programmes; national fisheries research programmes with regional coordination among Member States.

Access to resources and fleet capacity

transferable fishing concessions mandatory for large-scale fleets — with transferability at national level; moving away from fleet-related subsidies.

Aquaculture

National strategic plans 2014-2020 on promotion of aquaculture; set up of a new Advisory Council for Aquaculture.

Market policy

empowerment of Producers Organisations and Inter-branch Organisations to increase their role and responsibility on production and marketing planning with emphasis in sustainable fishery resource management and reducing the impact of the aquaculture activities; modification of intervention regime, by setting up one single intervention mechanism for storage; fixing intervention prices at decentralised and adequate level; strengthened consumer information and review of marketing standards.

Governance

expand the role of Advisory Councils in the implementation of the CFP at regional level; new approach to stakeholder involvement on horizontal issues not covered by the Advisory Councils.

Financial instrument

full alignment with the Europe 2020 Strategy; conditionality provisions on compliance with the rules — both applicable to Member States and to individual operators.

External dimension

Regional Fisheries Management Organisations — enhanced EU involvement in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations to strengthen science, control and compliance within these fora in order to improve their performance; Multilateral level — joint actions with EU’s most important partners aimed at combating IUU fishery and reducing overcapacity; better coherence between EU fisheries, development, trade and environment policies; sustainable Fisheries Agreements — enhanced science base and clear identification of surplus resources in partner countries to ensure sustainable fishing practices in these countries by our fleet;

larger financial contribution by industry and establishment of a high-quality governance framework. Human rights clause should be included in all future agreements.