Brussels, 11 December 2024
Member states’ EU ambassadors today agreed on the Council’s negotiating position on a proposal to improve the EU tools that can be used against non-EU countries allowing non-sustainable fishing practices in relation to fish stocks of common interest.
The revised rules will help tackle overfishing by non-EU countries and improve the long-term sustainability of the fish stocks we share with countries outside of the EU. Thanks to the improved framework, we are also ensuring fair competition between EU and non-EU fishers and operators.
István Nagy, Hungarian Minister for Agriculture
Main elements
The Council’s negotiating mandate retains the main elements of the Commission proposal, which amends the current rules for tackling situations when third countries fail to cooperate in the management of stocks of common interest or fail to adopt necessary fishery management measures.
The targeted revision clarifies the rules used to identify a country as being one that allows non-sustainable fishing, thus increasing legal certainty.
More specifically, the proposal clarifies the notion of ‘failure to cooperate’ and specifies that a country can be considered as allowing non-sustainable fishing if it does not implement the necessary measures, including control measures. Once a country is identified as allowing non-sustainable fishing practices, the EU can impose restrictions, such as import bans.
Another objective of the proposal is to improve cooperation with the relevant non-EU country before and after the EU takes appropriate action.
The Council improves the Commission’s proposal, in particular by further specifying the cases that are examples of ‘failure to cooperate’ in the management of a fish stock of common interest.
Next steps
The agreement reached today will allow the Council presidency to start negotiations with the European Parliament, once the Parliament votes on its mandate.
Background
Regulation (EU) 1226/2012 sets out a framework for the EU to adopt measures against non-EU countries that allow non-sustainable fishing practices. These measures can include identifying a country as such and the imposition of quantitative restrictions on imports from that country of fish and fishery products from the stock concerned or associated species.
The objective of the proposal, published by the Commission on 13 September 2024, is to improve the clarity and legal certainty of the current legislation.
Source – EU Council