20/07/2020 (Agence Europe) – The Bloom organisation announced in a press release on Monday 20 July that it had lodged a complaint with the European Commission against Germany, claiming that Germany had granted an "illegal" derogation to a trawler to practice electric fishing (see EUROPE 12274/14). However, according to Regulation 1241/2019 on technical measures, no derogations can be granted during the transitional period (14 August 2019, the date of entry into force of the Regulation, and 30 June 2021, the date on which the derogations already granted end). Furthermore, on 14 July 2020, the European Ombudsman is reported to have asked the European Commission to explain why it did not open infringement proceedings against the Netherlands because of illegal fishing with electric trawls. (LC)