Germany, backed by 10 other European Union Member States, called on the European Commission, on Monday 22 June, in Luxembourg, to adjust the implementation of fisheries control rules so that they remain applicable on the ground without undermining the competitiveness of the European fisheries sector.
In a note (https://aeur.eu/f/mh0 ) supported by Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden, Germany stresses that the delegated and implementing acts to come must be designed first and foremost to reduce bureaucracy.
These countries want to avoid multiple reporting of the same data and are calling for greater interoperability of IT systems. They also point to practical dysfunction, citing the need to improve existing tools such as CATCH.
The 10 States believe that the margins of tolerance provided for in Article 14 of the revised control regulation create operational difficulties on the ground. The European Commissioner for Fisheries, Costas Kadis, assured ministers that his services “are working inclusively and transparently on implementing the control regulation, with simplification as a key objective”.
The implementing act on the weighing of fishery products is a good example. The same approach will continue for the implementing acts concerning engine power monitoring, remote electronic monitoring and technical specifications relating to traceability obligations for fresh and frozen fisheries products as well as aquaculture, Mr Kadis said.
And the Commissioner believes that the CATCH system has demonstrated its effectiveness in combating illegal fishing. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)