Brussels, 24/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted the report of Elspeth Attwool (ALDE, Britain), which aims to extend the competencies of the Community Fisheries Inspection Agency set up in 2006 in Vigo, Spain. Nevertheless, the rapporteur did not succeed in introducing amendments to provide more power to Member States and fishermen in procedures for working out common deployment plans. EP amendments give the agency new tasks: the fight against illegal fishing (including inspections of boats flying flags from third countries); research aid: technical assistance for applying hygiene safety rules at work; uniform inspection procedures. The EP also wants to give the agency the power to inspect boats in third countries that have fishing agreements with the EU. EP amendments will involve fishermen more in the agency's work, notably by granting their representatives voting rights at the agency's management council. They will not be appointed as the initial proposal stipulated but by a representative body from the sector, the Advisory Committee on Agriculture and Aquacultue (ACAA). The EP is amending the proposal to include a training centre for Member State fishing inspectors.