Brussels, 07/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 7 December, the Council of the EU adopted, without debate, the regulation opening and providing for the management of autonomous European Union tariff quotas for certain fishery products for the period 2016-2018.
Ireland abstained from voting, taking the view that the compromise reached among the member states was “not balanced”. “The final compromise, we believe, provides preferential access for imported products beyond what is required to fill gaps in the EU's internal supply”, Ireland says in a statement. It goes on to argue that this situation “will be to the detriment of EU primary producers and the ancillary industries in coastal communities dependent on fisheries”. Ireland has concerns, in particular, about the spiced herring tariff reduction. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)