In the run-up to the European elections from 6 to 9 June, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced her commitment to appointing a full-time Fisheries Commissioner for her second term of office, news which was welcomed on Wednesday 5 June by the Europêche organisation.
Europêche hopes that the future European Fisheries Commissioner “brings back a balance between biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and food security”. The European fisheries sector has sometimes regretted that the current Commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevičius, has taken on the tasks of environment, oceans and fisheries, to the detriment of fishermen.
Europêche is also calling for primary food production and food sovereignty to be high on the Commission's agenda, and for this task to be entrusted to the Commission’s Vice-Presidency level. “The current grouping of environment, oceans and fisheries under one portfolio within the Commission has failed to adequately address the balance between the pillars of sustainable development”, according to Europêche. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)