16/03/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 16 March, the European Parliament cast in stone the inter-institutional agreement on the collection, management and use of data in the fishing sector (see EUROPE 11684). The legislative text, which will apply from mid-2017, delivers an improved framework for gathering reliable data (on achieving maximum sustainable yield and on the landing obligation) and making them available at regional and European levels. Reliable information is essential if the state of the resource is to be assessed and implementation of the common fisheries policy evaluated, said Marco Affronte (Greens/EFA, Italy) during the plenary session debate on Thursday. (MB)