17/10/2025 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 16 October, the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries largely rejected a draft resolution (https://aeur.eu/f/j0n ) tabled by Spanish EPP MEPs Carmen Crespo Díaz, Gabriel Mato and Francisco José Millán Mon to oppose a European Commission implementing regulation on Italian shells. Other Members voted against this objection or abstained. Italy benefits from a derogation granted by the European Union, authorising its fishing fleet to harvest Venus shells with a minimum size of 2.2 centimetres, as an exception to the general EU rule setting the minimum size at 2.5 centimetres (see EUROPE 11667/16). According to the Spanish MEPs, this derogation creates “unfair competition” within the single market. The Commission’s text provides for this derogation to be extended from 2026 to the end of 2030. (LC)