Brussels, 23/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Environmental NGOs can breathe a sigh of relief but fishermen may be feeling rather disappointed. On Wednesday 23 October, the European Parliament (EP) rejected a controversial amendment proposed by rapporteur Alain Cadec (EPP, France) seeking to reintroduce public aid for the purchase of new boats. The EP accepted most of the amendments adopted in its fisheries committee on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), which will provide €6.5 billion for the 2014-2020 period (see EUROPE 10865). The EP has, then, given its support to providing aid for temporary cessation of activities and assistance to purchase more fuel-efficient engines. Measures have also been planned to help the sector to adapt to the new rules in the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP).
With the EP vote now having taken place, the trialogues (Council, EP, Commission) will be able to begin putting the final touches to a compromise on the EMFF, which is the last remaining piece to be added in common fisheries policy reform.
Cadec's controversial amendment on providing aid for boat rebuilding therefore failed to win the plenary vote (249 for, 410 against, with 11 abstentions). Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki's services stated that “the Commission is pleased to note that the European Parliament has rejected public aid to vessel construction and has set clear limits on the amounts of public funding member states can spend on fleets”.
Nonetheless, the plenary vote contains measures which aim to help fishermen. The EMFF could, according to the amendments passed, be used to support investment for on-board equipment, particularly the withdrawal, replacement and modernisation of engines (to reduce emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases and to help improve energy efficiency) but only on condition that power is reduced by at least 40% against the engines formerly used. The EP also wants the EMFF to provide individual support for young fishermen (beneficiaries will be under 35 and the amount of support provided will not exceed €100,000). The EMFF could help fund measures in light of the temporary halt of fishing activities (as part of the multiannual plan and during closed fishing seasons). This aid could be provided for a maximum period of six months.
“Unacceptable” interference by European Commission
During the debate on the previous day, Alain Cadec, the rapporteur, said that a lot of misinformation had been circulating regarding Amendment 587 on fleet renewal and reducing fishing capacity. He criticised the “unacceptable interference” by the European Commission, which had telephoned MEPs to encourage them to vote against certain amendments. Cadec said that “it is the EP and Council that decide”. He stated that the “much decried” Amendment 587 proposed aid to renew fishing boats that were more than 35 years old on condition that the fishing capacity of the new vessel was 40% less than that of the older vessel. Boats that were less than twelve metres long were the only ones affected and only if they used “static gear”. Cadec said that “this is the only capacity reduction measure in the whole of the CFP reform”. He was therefore disappointed at the rejection of this amendment. 80% of fisheries products consumed in Europe are imported and Cadec asked if “we want to be totally dependent on non-EU countries by getting rid of our fishing industry in Europe. As far as I'm concerned, this should not happen”. He obtained EP support on the amendments increasing the funds allocated to monitoring and collecting data. The new CFP intends to make the landing of all catches compulsory and the rapporteur explained that EMFF is necessary to help reduce discards significantly by opting for more appropriate kinds of fishing gear. He also believes that it is necessary to help the ports make the necessary investments for storing and processing catches that are sometimes unplanned and that it is “the EU's duty to facilitate zero discard implementation by using public aid in this connection as well”.
Commission opposes aid for purchasing new vessels
Maria Damanaki pointed out that “€1 billion a year is at stake here”. She supported some of the amendments in the Cadec report that aimed to “improve monitoring, inspection and data gathering systems”. She also supported measures that intended to stop and suspend payments in the event of a country failing to respect CFP rules. The Commission also supports provisions on support to young fisherman.
The Commissioner said that funding the construction of new vessels is going backwards and did make much sense: “I think this kind of amendment would damage fishermen and stocks and goes against the CFP reform that you, the MEPs, supported a few months ago”.
According to the Commission, this kind of aid will increase catch capacity because boats will fish more. Moreover, this aid would prevent money being spent on more important objectives. The Commissioner asked MEPs whether they wanted to use taxpayers' money to build 2,000 new vessels, each of which could cost up to €3 million. (LC/transl.fl)