On Friday 30 October, the European Commission decided to send a letter of formal notice to the Netherlands and Belgium for failing to comply with specific provisions in the Fisheries Control Regulation and with the rules on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The two proceedings are separate, although the offences are quite similar.
The Netherlands is alleged to have failed to implement an effective system for monitoring the essential aspects of weighing, transport, traceability and catch registration with respect to landings of frozen and fresh pelagic and demersal fisheries carried out by EU and non-Member State fishing vessels in Dutch ports. As a consequence, the Commission considers that the Netherlands is failing to ensure proper controls of the landings in its ports, which may lead to overfishing and non-compliance with quotas.
Belgium has failed to implement an effective system for monitoring the essential aspects of weighing of fisheries products, the content and submission of catch registration documents by the Belgian fishing and processing sector, the traceability of fisheries products, and catch recording. The Commission is of the view that Belgium is failing to ensure proper control of the activities of its fleet, which may lead to overfishing and non-compliance with quotas.
The Commission has therefore decided to send a letter of formal notice to the two countries, both of which have two months to respond. If they fail to do so, the Commission may decide to move to the second stage of the infringement proceeding and issue a reasoned opinion. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)