Brussels, 15/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 15 July, European fisheries ministers hoped to finalise their position on the allocation criteria for the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for the period 2014-2020. In October 2012, the ministers adopted a general stance on most of the legislative text (see EUROPE 10717). The provisions on the division of the €6.5 billion allocated to the fund remain to be settled in order to achieve a full general orientation.
The Fisheries Council has still to finalise its position on Articles 15 to 17 of the EMFF: - budget resources under shared management (provisionally, this figure is €5.5 billion, including €4.5 billion for fisheries and aquaculture, and up to 20% of resources for the integrated maritime policy); - budgetary resources under direct management (€1 billion); - financial division under shared management (criteria used for this purpose). The Presidency does not plan to revisit the general approach of October 2012. The EP will adopt its position on the EMFF in October (see EUROPE 10885), and then the negotiations between the institutions will start.
At the initial exchange of views, France stated that the Presidency had achieved a good balance in its compromise text on the criteria for the division of credits between states and on the funding management system. The French minister welcomed the amounts proposed for fisheries controls, storage aid and for the outermost regions. France also called for an increase in the envelopes for the sustainable management of fishing and for data collection. Fishermen must be helped to implement maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and the ban on discards, the country stressed, going on to call for an increase in funding earmarked for the integrated maritime policy.
Spain described the balance of the text as acceptable and stressed that the new fund should be devoted to implementation of the ambitious reform of the European fisheries policy (CFP). It called for the funds to the outermost regions to be increased, and for a broader definition of small-scale fishing. Madrid believes that the size below which a vessel was deemed to be engaged in small-scale fishing should be 15 metres, the Commission having proposed 12.
The United Kingdom stressed that outmoded criteria for the distribution of credits under the EMFF should be avoided at all costs, or there is a risk that the inconsistencies of the CFP will continue. The Netherlands broadly supported the compromise. Poland was in favour of a distribution of the envelope in accordance with historical references.
Germany welcomed the objective criteria proposed for the sharing of funds and called for a transparent procedure for this. It is important to strike the right balance between costs and results. The new proposal on sanctions is also acceptable to Germany.
Portugal argued that more attention should be paid to activities which promote sustainable practices. Lisbon supports the Commission's text, particularly as regards the importance of fish farming and small-scale fisheries. “Don't let's return to the criteria of the past”, said the Portuguese minister. In the view of Denmark, all the bases of an agreement are in place. The country stressed the need for initiatives in the field of data collection and controls. Ireland is of the opinion that the EMFF should help to solidify the reform. The country also backs Germany on data collection. It is calling for changes to the division criteria (taking account of fleet size, exclusive fishery zones and number of stocks in these zones).
The European Commission stressed that a considerable increase in funding would be in place for data management (from €285 to €344 million for 2014-2020) and controls (from €313 to €482 million). (LC/transl.fl)