Brussels, 14/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - In Monday in Brussels, the Fisheries Ministers of the Member States of the EU reached a unanimous political agreement on the proposal instituting the Community fisheries control agency. This agency, to be based in Vigo, Spain, will take up its duties early April 2006 (one year after the publication of the regulation). The Council's agreement was reached quickly on the basis of a compromise on the composition and voting rules for the agency's board.
On the composition of the board, which will include one representative per Member State and six Commission representatives, the compromise gives one vote to each board member.
The agency's main task will be to coordinate control and inspection activities of fishing carried out by the Member States, to include the importation, transport and landing of fisheries products. This coordination role will be implemented by joint deployment plans and specific control programmes. The agency will also help Member States to guarantee the uniform application of the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), thanks in large part to training for inspectors. The Council has changed the Commission's initial proposal, adding new duties for the agency: -helping the Member States and the Commission to harmonise the implementation of the CFP in the Community; -helping with the research and development work carried out by the Member States and the Commission in terms of control and inspection techniques; -helping to coordinate the training of inspectors and the exchange of experience between the Member States; -coordinating operations to fight illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing. On international obligations, the agency will be able to cooperate on control issues with the competent authorities of third countries, by request of the Commission, under agreements concluded between the Community and these countries. It will also be able to lend a hand to the Member States and the Community in their relations with regional fishing organisations of which the Community itself is a member. Furthermore, the agency will be able to provide the Member States with contractual services by request on control and inspection, especially on the chartering, running and provision of staff to control platforms.