Brussels, 29/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - The impression that Karmenu Vella, the 64-year-old Social Democratic commissioner-candidate from Malta gave on Monday 29 September, at his hearing for the environment, maritime affairs and fisheries portfolio (see EUROPE 11157), was his unfailing European commitment, good level of preparation and general knowledge for post he could occupy, as well as his determination to fulfil the tasks that Jean-Claude Junker set him as the one in charge of green and blue growth. He sailed through the Parliamentary hearing, responding unhesitatingly, though without great originality, to the 45 sometimes tough questions put to him by MEPs from the environment, public health, food safety, fisheries and transport committees at the European Parliament over his three-hour hearing.
Although some of his answers appeared to disappoint certain MEPs, particularly those in the Greens Group, it was more the result of the merging of the important portfolios allocated to a single commissioner and the fear of seeing the environment and sustainable development relegated to the margins of the Junker Commission's political priorities, rather than the level of competence displayed by this former minister for tourism. Vella dismissed this fear with a sweep of his hand and throughout his hearing hammered home the message that fisheries and the environment were two sides of the same coin and that both would serve the ends of sustainable development, itself included in the treaties and for which he will argue. If he is confirmed in this post, Vella will have to work in close cooperation with the vice-president for employment, growth, investment and competitiveness. The European Parliament hopes that Junker will accede to its request to add sustainable development to this vice-president's portfolio. This request was addressed to Junker by Martin Schulz.
Vella informed MEPs that “my priorities are to ensure that our growth is sustainable from an environmental point of view and that it is part of the Commission's overall action to protect ecosystems and citizens from any environmentally-related risks, such as the quality of air and water that threatens their health, and to implement the reformed fisheries policy, as well as work towards improved governance and the development of blue growth. I need your help and your cooperation. Together we will be able to make a difference”. His final words at the end of his hearing were for “two heroes in my life: my parents, who brought me to this planet and these two grandchildren (Ed: a photo of whom he showed). “It is to them that I must pass this on. We do not inherit the planet; we lend it to our children… I hope that I have convinced you of my sincerity and I am committed to working with you”.
From the beginning of the hearing, Alain Cadec (EPP, France), who chairs the fisheries committee, said he regretted that implementation of the common fisheries policy reform to ensure the sustainable future of fishing is “the only thing planned in the mission letter”. Vella said that his mandate had to be seen as much broader because it covered environmental protection, protecting marine resources and the need to help develop the green and blue economies for growth, competitiveness and employment.
He provided assurances that, “with a record level of unemployment, Europe must strengthen its competitiveness. For 95% of citizens, the environment is important. I am convinced that we will not have this growth if this growth is not fair and sustainable. Sustainability is not a luxury. It is crucial for the future of the economy. As the minister for tourism, I pointed this out. In Malta, tourism accounts for a third of GDP but this is 100% dependent on the environment: safe waters, clean air and beaches”. The 7th environmental action programme will be the roadmap to successfully meet this challenge, he stated.
Vella said that he was convinced that “genuine sustainable growth can be reached by shifting towards a more circular economy” and that sustainable growth depended on the protection of the capital that is natural resources. To achieve more effective environmental protection legislation, “we need to see whether it is possible to simplify legislation to improve it, given that only 17% of Natura 2000 sites are in a satisfactory condition”. On the issue of fishing, Vella, “born in a fishing village in southern Malta”, said that he understood “the economic importance of the seas” and he pledged to implement the reformed common fisheries policy to rebuild stocks, meet the needs of fishermen and fishing communities in the interests of fish resources but also those who live from the fishing industry. He highlighted the need to apply maximum sustainable yield by 2015, with the help of multiannual plans and regionalisation. He also said that there was a need to continue to implement the ban on discards, by creating a repurchasing system, with the help of new funds and ensuring that third countries respected sustainability. In order to enhance international governance, he said that it would be necessary “to exert all our weight in ensuring that conservation measures are accompanied by international measures and using all the different instruments available to fight against illegal fishing activities”. In the context of blue growth, which accounts for 3.6 million jobs in the maritime economy, Vella intends to work to use the full potential of aquaculture, energy and biotechnologies and strengthen research so as to improve knowledge. During the debate he stated that, “when I'm talking about blue and green growth, I always have social concerns in mind: job creation and the quality of these jobs”.
In response to Yvo Belet (Greens/EFA, Belgium), who was concerned by Malta's failure to respect the wild birds directive, Vella said: “I don't hunt birds. I condemn all illegal hunting. I am not the commissioner-designate for Malta but the commissioner representing the interest of the European Union”. He sought to provide reassurances about the risk of the much feared deregulation and pointed out that the 1979 directive had never been re-examined and that the review of this legislation, the pillar for safeguarding ecosystems and diversity did not mean revising it. He added that he would consult on this.
In reply to Mathias Groote (S&D Germany), who asked him how he would guarantee that sufficient attention was given to the two policies (environment and fisheries) and how efficiency of resources would be guaranteed in the green economy with €300 billion in investment promised Juncker, the commissioner-designate asserted: “I'm aware of the scale of the task”. TO carry it out, he could count on DG Mare, which is responsible for ocean governance and asserted: “This explains the link with the environment. When we're talking about the environment, we always think of the Earth's land mass. Oceans actually cover 70% of the Earth. It's logical that the two portfolios are combined. This will create a synergy rather than a mutual weakening. The future will depend on sustainability. The environment has everything to do with sustainable fishing. For the future, we need to talk about the sustainable economy. All the (Commission) directorates will work together”.
Replying to Grzegorz Piecha (ECR, Poland) on the question of the commissioner-designate's intentions regarding revision of the recommendation on shale gas exploration, Vella said that it would be better to wait to see how the member states intended to implement the initial guidelines on the minimum principles that needed to be respected when fracking, before deciding what to do.
Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE, Netherlands) wanted Vella to acknowledge that sustainability, a “prerequisite for growth”, was not reflected in the commissioner-designate's mission letter. Vella would not have it, however, replying: “My mandate is to ensure environmental sustainability and the conservation of maritime resources. Sustainability is the environment which allows future development. We ought to see the environment as an end in itself but also as a means to an end because it can help Europe achieve growth and employment by using green and blue growth”.
What can be done to protect the citizens of the member states which do less than the others to tackle air pollution, asked Katerina Konecna (GUE/NGL, Czech Republic). Vella replied that, although not all of the member states have the same resources to apply EU legislation, member states which are struggling can be helped financially but, if they do nothing, then infringement proceedings will follow. Agreeing with Karl Heinz Florenz (EPP, Germany), he acknowledged that, in order to be credible, the existing legislation has to be implemented first, otherwise there is no point in drawing up new legislation and added that the correct implementation of environmental law “is one of my priorities and of the seventh EAP as well”.
In reply to Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, Belgium), who asked him where his priorities would lie between environmental concerns and those of bluefin tuna fishing, the commissioner-designate replied that “decisions on quotas are never political. They are always made on the basis of the best scientific data. The Commission has no leeway”. When asked what proposals he was considering on access to justice, sustainable food strategy, endocrine disruptors and environmental inspection, Vella went no further than to say that “much has already been done” on access to justice, that he would be focusing on the issue of endocrine disruptors, even though this lies within the remit of the commissioner for health, and that, if confirmed in his position, he would resurrect the proposals for environmental inspections and sustainable food. He told Françoise Grossetete (EPP, France), who expressed concern at the revision of the waste directive and asked him if he considers it a priority to improve the measures used to assess the performances of the member states which have set in place new public policies in this area, Vella replied that the proposals had been examined, dissected analytically and scientifically. “We cannot call our standards into question, we cannot have different standards for the different member states. This waste package is one of the best ways of making the best use of the resources available to us” to ensure sustainable production, but also sustainable consumption, he said. Seeking to reassure Susanne Melior (S&D, Germany), on the role of the 7th EAP in the European Semester, Vella said that he feels that the greening of the European Semester is “the only possible solution”, and the environment will be imbedded in all EU policies. In response to the concerns expressed by Marco Affronte on the precautionary measures to be taken in order to make shark fishing sustainable, Vella replied that some measures of the reformed fishing policy “will make it possible to reduce catch, particularly the landing obligations and the ban on discards”. replying to Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spain), who asked him what his plans were for bluefin tuna from 2015, Vella said that the Commission intends to adopt new measures to fight illegal fishing. “If fishermen export to the EU and it can be proven that the fish was caught illegally, there will be measures”. He also mentioned the possibility that the meeting to be held in Genoa in November will agree on an increase in the quota, but this will only happen on the basis of “incontrovertible scientific evidence” confirming that the situation has improved. As we were going to press, the assessment meeting on the commissioner-designate's performance was still underway, but the S&D Group had already declared that it had been won over by Vella, whose performance it described as “promising”. (AN)