Brussels, 06/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - Agreement would seem to be near on Community financial measures for the implementation of the common fisheries policy (CFP) and the law of the sea. In Strasbourg on Wednesday 6 April, the European Parliament voted by 633 votes to 26, with 13 abstentions, to pass the report by João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Portugal) taking up an agreement reached among the three institutions in March. The proposal means that possible Community investment to fund research can be determined. It makes the regulation consistent with changes in the Community legislative framework on data collection, management and use.
Alain Cadec (EPP, France) welcomed the opportunity to fund scientific research for fisheries and aquaculture. “From now on, we will be able to carry out studies on the extent of European Union trade dependence on imports from third countries. As you know, our market is more than 60% dependent on imports and this figure is constantly rising”¸ he said during the plenary session debate. He argued that it is essential to increase support for European producers “instead of wholesale opening up of trade which is very damaging to European production”. (L.C./transl.rt)