On Wednesday 11 December, the Committee of the Representatives of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper) noted that there was a qualified majority in favour of the EU Council’s negotiating position on a proposal to improve the EU tools that can be used against third countries that authorise non-sustainable fishing practices with regard to fish stocks of common interest.
The EU Council’s position retains the main elements of the European Commission’s proposal (dated 13 September), which amends the current rules for dealing with situations where third countries fail to cooperate in the management of stocks of common interest (see EUROPE 13483/11).
The proposal clarifies the notion of “failure to cooperate” and specifies that a country may be considered as allowing non-sustainable fishing if it fails to implement the necessary measures, including control measures. The EU Council is amending the Commission’s proposal, in particular by further specifying the cases that constitute examples of “failure to cooperate” in the management of a fish stock of common interest.
Link to the EU Council’s position: https://aeur.eu/f/er0 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)