19/05/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 18 May, the European Parliament recommended improving the effectiveness of the rules on the landing obligation (see EUROPE 12721/12). The report by Søren Gade (Renew Europe, Denmark) was adopted with 696 votes in favour, 29 against and 43 abstentions. “We need to support measures that increase selectivity, listen to European fishermen, and finally, we need a thorough assessment of the implications of the landing obligation”, Mr Gade commented. Among the suggested measures are: - a ‘discard atlas’ - a circular economy of alternative channels for the use of unwanted catches (such as fishmeal for animal feed or bait for trap fishing) - the gradual introduction of the obligation for products imported from third countries to comply with the same discard policy to eliminate unfair competition for the European fleet. (LC)