On Tuesday 23 July, the European Commission considered, before the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee, that before submitting proposals to reform the Common Fisheries Policy, “it will be necessary to digest the effects” of the United Kingdom's exit from the EU.
João Aguiar Machado, Director General of DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), presented to the new MEPs the priorities to be identified in the coming months by the new Commission, which will be guided in particular by Ursula von der Leyen's ‘green deal’.
On Brexit, João Aguiar Machado, who will leave the Commission next October, said that the Commission still considers an orderly departure from the United Kingdom (i.e. with a transitional period, followed by the negotiation between the EU and the country of an agreement to manage over 100 shared stocks). However, as the risk of a no-deal Brexit “has increased”, the Commission is preparing for this scenario. In answering questions, including those from Clara Aguilera García (S&D, Spain) and Pierre Karleskind (RE, France), the Director General assured that the Commission “has already been working for more than a year to conclude a future” fisheries agreement with the United Kingdom (the Commission will need to be given a mandate from the EU Council). In the event of a no-deal Brexit, “we will do everything to negotiate very quickly with the United Kingdom, but negotiation requires two parties”, admitted João Aguiar Machado.
The Commission is committed to doing everything possible to ensure that a fisheries agreement is reached “as soon as possible”, he said, while the United Kingdom wants to regain sovereignty over its territorial waters.
Reform of the CFP. The Commission must, by the end of 2022 at the latest, submit a report on the functioning of the CFP. “We will see if a reform will be necessary”, João Aguiar Machado said in response to Francisco José Millan Mon (EPP, Spain). In his opinion, however, “this reform will take place later in the mandate” of the next Commission, as it will be necessary to “digest Brexit and implement” the provisions of the CFP reformed in 2013.
Improve controls. The Director General of DG MARE also called for a reform of the system of controls on fishing activities, especially as regards monitoring compliance with the obligation to land (end of discards of fish at sea). “There is a lack of controls on the part of Member States, more innovative control systems will be needed”, he said. He defended the installation of surveillance cameras on board ships to check the ban on discards, while MEPs are rather against these devices (see EUROPE 12198/12). He explained that the Commission would do its utmost to ensure the protection of personal data with regard to the use of images from these cameras.
Protection of the oceans. He recalled the Commission's priorities in terms of: - protection of oceans and ecosystems; - combating ocean pollution by plastics.
Finally, João Aguiar Machado criticised the positions (which are quite similar) of the EU Council and the European Parliament on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 12277/1). The positions of these institutions would run counter to the objectives of the CFP, specifically by reintroducing public aid for the construction of new fishing vessels. Parliament and EU Council have yet to negotiate a trilogue agreement on this sensitive issue of the future EMFF. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)