Brussels, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The French authorities denounce the "lack of ambition" of the strategy for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) presented on Tuesday by the European Commission. They also consider some of the proposals "unacceptable". "The Commission's plan lacks ambition. It does not grant European and French fishermen the place they are entitled to and does not open up any prospects for the future", said the Agriculture Minister and the Secretary of State for the Sea in a joint press release.
"Several proposals are not acceptable", add the two ministers, who consider as "ill adjusted" the measures aimed at "making the establishment of multiannual plans for the management of most sea stocks common place and generalised". Paris believes the aim is to make positive reform prevail that alleviates the situation of the fishing and sea product sector and guarantees lasting economic perspectives. In addition, a distinction must be established between the recovery plans for stocks really in difficulty and the multiannual approach for fixing Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas, which excludes the notion of the global plan.
The two ministers finally reproach the Commission for having wanted to increase its powers with regards sanctions, the setting in place of technical measures and the fixing of TACs, and for not having taken the economic, social and territorial dimensions of fishing into account. France hopes to maintain positive aid to the fleets in order to meet the safety requirements of fishermen, threatened by the fact that their boats are in such a bad state of repair, they stress.