Brussels, 20/12/2013 (Agence Europe) -In a severe blow to fishermen and the European institutions, the negotiators of the Parliament, Council and Commission failed to reach agreement, on Thursday 19 December, on the details of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This failure was due to the Commission's refusal to cut the direct management funding made available to it to implement the integrated maritime policy of the EU (blue growth, marine data, planning of the maritime space, integrated maritime surveillance and strategies for maritime basins).
Fishing has the distinction of being the only sector for which there has been no agreement in 2013 on the policies to accompany the financial framework 2014-2020. The EMFF details aid to fishing, fish farming and the integrated maritime policy for 2014-2020. It aims to assist fishermen in the implementation of the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP).
On 23 October of this year, the European Parliament voted through fairly ambitious measures to be funded under the EMFF (see EUROPE 10949), including start-up aid to young fishermen and public support to change the engines of the vessels. However, the MEPs refused to grant fleet renewal aid, as this would result in overfishing.
Alain Cadec accuses Maria Damanaki
At a trialogue meeting on Thursday 19 December, the negotiators of the Parliament, Council and Commission should have concluded the negotiations. However, they failed to do so. “The fishermen are the victims of the intransigence of the European Commission and the irresponsibility of the Presidency of the Council”, MEP Alain Cadec (EPP, France), rapporteur on the EMFF, said on Friday 20 December. “Holding the EP in contempt in such a way was intolerable. It is Europe which is called into question”. He reproaches the Commission, and especially Commissioner Maria Damanaki, for having turned down a compromise between the Council and the EP which was negotiated on Thursday morning, regarding the division of the envelope among the various priorities. He went on to say that the Commission had called for clarifications on the conditions under which engine replacement can be funded.
According to figures of which EUROPE has had sight (a total of €6.4 billion over seven years), the compromise reached between the Council and the EP earmarked the following: €4.38 billion for the sustainable development of fisheries and fish farming, €600 million for controls, €550 million for data collection (whereas the EP had a mandate at €700 million), €192.5 million for the extremely remote regions, €36 million for aid to storage, €76.5 million for the integrated maritime policy under shared management and €547.2 million for the Commission's direct management envelope (in the earlier compromise of the Council, to which the Commission agreed, there was €870 million under this heading). This “direct management” envelope allows the Commission, for instance, to provide funding for maritime policy.
Talks to resume in January? If, in early January, Damanaki “accepts the agreement reached between the EP and the Council, on the figures, then we can restart talks in January”, Cadec said. Otherwise, he will make a proposal to the fisheries committee of the EP to take account of all points of agreement to be included in a resolution to be voted on in plenary in March. The Council will have to decide whether it can agree to the EP's suggestions. Cadec has spoken on the telephone to European Parliament President Martin Schulz, “who assured me of his full support”, the MEP added. “The prerogatives of the European Parliament cannot simply be swept aside”.
Damanaki's spokesperson told EUROPE on Friday that “we are prepared to resume the trilateral discussions, constructively, from early January, in order to facilitate an agreement”. The Council hopes that it will be able to resume the negotiations under the Greek Presidency “at the earliest possible opportunity”.
Consequences for fishermen. The current fund (the CFP 2007-2013) can still be used for another two years. There is, therefore, the option to continue certain funding in January. “But new funding is now impossible, as things stand”, said Cadec. “As things stand, DG MARE will no longer exist as of 1 January. It has no money”, he added dryly. It is certain that a solution will be found, but not to the detriment of the EP.
Theatricals. During the trialogue session on Thursday morning, the EP and the Council agreed on the various budgetary allocations of the EMFF. However, the EP called for allocations for control and data collection to be increased. The Lithuanian Presidency was prepared to agree to it if: - the Council's wishes for the allocation of funds under shared management for the development of fisheries and fish farming, the extremely remote regions, and the integrated maritime policy (IMP) remained unchanged; - additional monies for control and data gathering were taken from the IMP (integrated maritime policy) under direct management. The Commission refused to agree to a significant reduction of the IMP's funding under direct management and opposed the EP-Council agreement. In order to overcome the Commission's refusal, the Council would have had to take position unanimously against the Commission's stance, which proved impossible.
The EP broke off the talks, citing the Commission's obstructiveness. The EP's negotiation team left the room and would not be brought back to the negotiating table, according to various sources. (LC/transl.fl)