The European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries adopted on Thursday 23 April, as announced, its position and amendments to the proposal providing for exceptional aid to cod fishermen in the Eastern Baltic due to the depletion of stocks (see EUROPE 12471/20).
MEPs adopted a number of amendments which were broadly supported or tabled by the rapporteur, Niclas Herbst (EPP, Germany). They also gave their green light (20 votes in favour, 8 against and no abstentions) to the start of trilogue negotiations with the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council on this dossier.
The positions of the EU Council and Parliament are fairly similar, particularly as regards the extension of compensation (permanent cessation of fishing activities) to fishermen who also catch cod and herring in the Western Baltic. The Commission originally proposed that the aid should only go to cod fishermen in the Eastern Baltic.
Reduction of capacity. The capacity level of Member States in the fleet segments concerned should be “reduced to below the levels of active vessels in two of the five years immediately preceding the application of emergency measures, i.e., the years 2014-2018”. The capacity would also be reduced when vessels are withdrawn from the fleet with public aid. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)