The European Parliament adopted by 645 votes to 4, with 3 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement Area (recast).

The Regulation lays down the detailed rules for the application by the Union of the conservation, management, exploitation, control, marketing and enforcement measures for fishery and aquaculture products adopted by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

The Regulation aims to implement existing GFCM measures that are binding on the contracting parties. It will thus ensure that EU law complies with the international obligations adopted by the GFCM, to which the EU is a contracting party.

The Regulation contains fisheries management, conservation and control measures applicable to certain species. It includes chapters on European eel, giant red shrimp, blue and red shrimp, red coral, demersal fisheries, small pelagic fisheries, blackspot seabream, dolphin fish, turbot and piked dogfish.

The European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amends the Commission's proposal as follows:

The amended text stressed that the Union must ensure that Union fishing activities outside Union waters are based on the same principles and standards as those applicable under Union law, while promoting a level playing field for Union operators vis-à-vis third country operators.

It is necessary to adopt provisions including the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), where designated by the Commission, as the body which receives control and inspection information, such as at-sea inspection reports, from the Member States.

Management measures and recommendations should be based on the best available scientific advice. The advice upon which management measures are based should itself be based on the scientific use of relevant data on fleet capacity and activity, on the biological status of exploited resources and on the social and economic situation of fisheries. Those data need to be collected and submitted in time to allow the subsidiary bodies of the GFCM to prepare their advice, which should take into consideration biological, socio-economic and environmental aspects .

Regarding red coral , it should be noted that the capture and retention on board, transhipment or landing of red coral should be prohibited for recreational fisheries purposes.

By way of derogation, the use of remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) is permitted exclusively for scientific purposes within the GFCM research programme until the end of that programme.

PURPOSE: to transpose into EU law the fisheries conservation and management measures adopted in 2018 and 2019 by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: the GFCM Agreement provides an appropriate framework for multilateral cooperation to promote the development, conservation, rational management and best utilisation of living marine resources in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea at levels which are considered sustainable and at low risk of collapse.

The EU and ten of its Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Romania, Slovenia and Spain) are contracting parties to the GFCM agreement.

The recommendations adopted by the GFCM are binding on its contracting parties. As a contracting party to the GFCM Agreement, the EU is bound by these recommendations. The transposition of the relevant GFCM provisions is necessary to ensure that they are applied uniformly and effectively throughout the European Union.

Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council has been substantially amended several times. Since further amendments are to be made, that Regulation should be recast in the interests of clarity.

CONTENT: the recast proposal aims to implement existing GFCM measures that are binding on the contracting parties. It will thus ensure that EU law is in line with the international obligations adopted by the GFCM, to which the EU is a contracting party.

The proposal applies to commercial fishing and aquaculture, as well as recreational fishing, carried out by EU fishing vessels and nationals of Member States in the GFCM Agreement area.

The proposal deals with fisheries management, conservation and control measures for certain species . It includes chapters on European eel, giant red shrimp, blue and red shrimp, red coral, demersal fisheries, small pelagic fisheries, blackspot seabream, dolphin fish, turbot and piked dogfish.

The proposal also contains common provisions including:

- technical and conservation measures, aiming in particular to reduce the impact of fishing activities on certain marine species (including sharks and rays) and incidental catches, to establish fishing restricted areas and temporal closures, and to regulate what fishing gear may be used;

- control measures, including on the register of authorised vessels, port state measures and vessels presumed to have engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing

- measures on cooperation, information sharing and reporting;

- the establishment of regional research programmes on blue crab in the Mediterranean and rapana whelk in the Black Sea.

This proposal grants delegated powers to the Commission to ensure that the Union continues to fulfil its obligations under the GFCM Agreement.