On Wednesday 30 May, the European Parliament called for all imported fisheries products to meet the high standards imposed by EU law.
With the adoption by 590 votes to 52, with 41 abstentions, of the report by Linnéa Engström (Greens/EFA, Sweden) on compliance by fisheries products with the European Union’s market access criteria, Parliament calls on the European Commission to ensure that fisheries and aquaculture products from third countries “comply with EU conservation, management standards and hygiene requirements by implementing control measures more efficiently”.
With the adoption of an amendment presented by several MEPs, Parliament also calls on the Commission to examine the possibility of creating a label that clearly indicates EU fishery products.
Fair competition. The extension of control measures to imported fisheries products would promote fairer competition and avoid a discriminatory market that could adversely affect EU fisheries, MEPs say.
Control regulation. With regards the “control” regulation (see related article), MEPs highlight the fact that the revised control regime should “improve and strengthen the standardisation of fishing controls”. They recommend in particular: - full traceability of fish as they move along the custody chain, from the vessel to the final point of sale; - complete data on catches by all operators, including vessels under 10 metres and recreational fishers; - common levels of sanctions in all member states; - a point system applied by all member states in an equivalent manner; - and sanctions that are sufficiently dissuasive, effective and proportionate.
The EU is the world’s largest market for fisheries and aquaculture, absorbing 24% of total global imports in 2016. EU member states depend on imports for over 60% of their total consumption. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)