Committee on Fisheries Ordinary meeting
Legende
Markierungen im Transkript
- Text Aktuell abgespielter Satz
- Text Suchergebnis
- Text Redebeitrag, auf den der geöffnete Link verweist
Klicken Sie auf einen Satz, um das Video ab dieser Stelle abzuspielen. Markieren Sie Text, um ihn mit Redner, Zeitstempel und Link zu zitieren.
Weitere Optionen
Versatz
Versatz des Transkripts
Exportieren
Live aufgezeichnet
Versionen dieses Videos
- Aufzeichnung Endgültige Version · 15. Juli 2026
- Live aufgezeichnet Live übertragen am 15. Juli 2026Angezeigt
Die Transkripte können sich von Version zu Version leicht unterscheiden.
PECH European Parliament
Ihren Sitzungen folgenPaulo do Nascimento Cabral
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. We pass to compromise two.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. We jump to amendment 152.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise zero.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. We pass now to compromise or amendment compromise three.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 226.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise amendment four.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 233.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise amendment five.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted.
Now we pass to amendment 254. Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? I would like to check.
I open the floor. I open the vote. I close the vote. It is adopted. Amendment 257.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. 258.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. 259.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise amendment six.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 266.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise amendment seven.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. We pass now to amendment 308.
Who's in favor? Against? Abstentions? Let's check. I open the vote.
I close the vote. It's rejected. Amendment 309. Who votes in favor? Against?
Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise amendment 8. Who votes in favor? Against?
Abstentions? Adopted. Now we pass to amendment 350. Who votes in favor? Against?
That's check, please. I open the vote. I close the vote. It was rejected. Okay, so compromise amendment 9.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 384.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Amendment 385.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Let's check, please. I open the vote.
I close the vote. Rejected. Amendment 386.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? I have to check also. I open the vote.
I close the vote. Rejected. Amendment 387. Who votes in favor? Who votes against?
Abstentions? I have to check again. So let's open the vote. I close the vote. It's rejected.
Amendment 388. Who votes in favor? Who votes against? Abstentions? Is it the same majority?
Yeah, it's rejected. 389. Who votes in favor? Who's against? Let's check 389.
I open the vote. I close the vote.
It's adopted. 390, who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected.
391, who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. 392, who votes in favor?
Against? Abstentions? Rejected. 413, who votes in favor? Against?
Abstentions? Rejected. 414, who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions?
Rejected. 415, who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? I think it was rejected.
416, who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions? Rejected. Compromise amendment 10, who votes in favor?
Against? Abstentions? Adopted. Compromise amendment 11, who votes in favor? Against?
Abstentions? Adopted. Now we pass to amendment 60. Who votes in favor? Against?
60, 60. Favor, sorry, let's repeat.
In favor, amendment 60. In favor? Against? Abstentions rejected. 70.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected. Compromise amendment 12. Who votes in favor?
Against? Abstentions adopted. Now we pass to compromise amendment 13. Who votes in favor? Against?
Abstentions adopted. Now amendment 72. Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected.
Amendment 73. Who votes in favor? Against? Sorry, I will repeat. Amendment 73.
Who votes in favor? Against? We have to check. I open the vote. I close the vote.
It's adopted. Amendment 74. Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions adopted.
Amendment 84. Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions. Check, okay, we will check.
I open the vote. I close the vote. Rejected. This is 84. 87, amendment 87.
Who votes in favor? Against? Abstentions. Let's check please. I open the vote.
87.
I close the vote. It is adopted. Amendment 88, who's in favor? Against? Abstentions adopted.
Amendment 1, who's in favor? Against? Abstentions adopted. Amendment 2, who's in favor? Against?
Abstentions adopted. Amendment 3, who's in favor? Against? Abstentions adopted. Amendment 96, who's in favor?
Against? Abstentions adopted. Amendment 97, who's in favor? Against? Abstentions, let's check.
I open the vote. I close the vote. And it is adopted. Amendment 99, who's in favor? Against?
Abstentions rejected. Amendment 108, who's in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 112, in favor?
Against? Abstentions rejected. Amendment 113, in favor? Against? Abstentions rejected.
Amendment 121 and amendment 122, they are identical. We will vote together. Who votes in favor? Against? Let's check.
I open the vote. I close the vote. It is adopted. Now we pass to the final vote as roll-call vote. I open the vote.
I close the vote. Adopted by 17 votes in favor and 8 abstentions. So, the draft opinion has been adopted by 17 votes in favor, 0 against and 9 abstentions. Congratulations to the rapporteur. I'll give you 30 seconds to start the next point in the agenda.
Dear colleagues, thank you so much for your attention. Let us start our next point in our agenda, point six, please. I ask you to go to your seats. So, now we'll have the pleasure to welcome Minister Mr. Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, for the traditional exchange with the incoming Council Presidency.
The programme for the Irish Presidency rightly underlines the central role of fisheries in ensuring Europe's food security, strengthening economic competitiveness and sustaining our climate and environmental objectives. The Irish Presidency also places strong emphasis on generational renewal and simplification as key drivers of competitiveness. These are all priorities that are regularly discussed in this committee and we look forward for this exchange with the Irish Presidency. Dear Minister, I will give you the floor to outline the Presidency's priorities in the field of fisheries and aquaculture for this second part of the year. You will have more or less ten minutes.
It's a pleasure and a great honour to have you here with us. Minister, the floor is yours.
Martin Heydon
Paolo, a Chathaoirligh, go raibh míle maith agat for the very warm welcome. Gabh mo bhuíochas libh as bhur bhfáilte chroíúil, maidin mhaith daoibh go léir. Is mór an onóir domsa, mar Chathaoirleach Chomhairle na hEorpa don Chomhairle Talmhaíochta agus Iascaigh, a chur i láthair daoibh don sé mhí atá romhainn.
From the outset, I want to state my commitment to delivery for fishermen and women, for our coastal communities and EU citizens who are custodians of our seas and oceans and who rely on sustainable fishing for their incomes. Ireland's presidency will be guided by the principle in Irish, as Gaeilge, we say "Ní neart go cur le chéile", which means strength with unity. At a time when the global environment is rapidly changing and uncertain, unity is ever more important. In that context, the work of the Irish presidency will respond to the overall interests and needs of the Union, its member states and citizens across Europe. That unity also means an Irish presidency that is ready and willing to work constructively and in good faith with the European Parliament as co-legislators to deliver for Europe.
The Irish presidency will be defined by action and delivery. We will be guided by three overarching themes. On competitiveness, we will work towards fostering prosperity and well-being, understanding that a Europe which is serious about competitiveness must also be serious about the viability of fisheries, farm, food and seafood businesses.
On values, we will uphold the indispensable foundation of our Union, recognizing that a Europe which is serious about rural and coastal communities must ensure European policy supports the people and places that sustain these communities. And on security, we will work towards protecting our citizens. Our experiences over recent years have taught us that global food systems and global food supply chains cannot be taken for granted. If Europe is serious about security, it must also be serious about food security. These core themes are closely interlinked, mutually reinforcing, and will guide all aspects of our work throughout our presidency.
We have a full work program across fisheries files. We anticipate proposals on amendments to the multi-annual plans regulations and EMFAF regulation. We also anticipate progressing the discussions on conditions for EU support to the Common Fisheries Policy. We anticipate a significant workload from September onwards, leading up to the annual fishing opportunities discussions in October, November, and December.
We also anticipate the proposal on the Autonomous Tariff Quotas, the ATQs, regulation and a successful conclusion on the European Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics file. In addition, we are planning for discussion around the Commission's forthcoming Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Energy Transition Roadmap, and the External Dimension Communication. Throughout the Irish Presidency semester, we will focus on generational renewal, as Paolo said in his introduction, and that will be across both fisheries and agriculture. We will address this significant workload with determination, in the understanding that what we deliver as a Presidency matters and directly impacts EU citizens. In relation to our priorities, pursuing agreement on the new EU budget is an overarching priority for the Irish Presidency, and the next Multiannual Financial Framework, MFF, needs to support our rural coastal communities.
It must enhance competitiveness across fisheries and aquaculture, provide opportunity to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as support economic, social, and territorial cohesion. Ireland is committed to the ambition that the next MFF will have the capacity to transform Europe for the better in the decade ahead.
The CFP remains the key framework for ensuring the sustainability of Europe's seafood sector. The conditions for the implementation of the Union support to the CFP, the European Ocean Pact, and of the Union maritime and aquaculture policy 2028 to 2034 is a priority file for the Irish presidency. We will continue the hard work undertaken by the Cyprus presidency with the objective of agreeing on a partial general approach in the autumn. The Council will stand ready for inter-institutional negotiations to start quickly once the Parliament is ready. In all of this, the Irish presidency's aim is to ensure that conditions and rules are fit for the challenges ahead and that they are simple to apply for all stakeholders.
Once a proposal on the amendment of the EMFAF is tabled by Commissioner Kadis, the Irish Presidency will engage constructively with the European Parliament so that we can deliver together in the shortest term the support and flexibility Europe's seafood industry needs to continue operations in a changing environment and global context. The Irish Presidency's key priority will be the successful conclusion of discussions on the 2027 fishing opportunities so that we can provide much-needed certainty for EU fleets in 2027. Leading up to October AGRIFISH Council, we will focus our efforts on securing political agreement in respect of fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea. At the same time, we will work constructively towards political agreement in December AGRIFISH on the annual TAC and quota regulations for the Atlantic and North Sea and the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Most EU fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic are now shared with other coastal states, predominantly the United Kingdom and Norway.
Good cooperation and mutual understanding between the Union and third countries is in the best interest of our fishing sector and I believe essential for the sustainable joint management of our shared fish stocks.
While the European Commission has sole competence to negotiate on behalf of the EU in third country negotiations, in these discussions, the Irish presidency will seek to constructively coordinate Member States' positions to provide for the sustainable management of shared stocks and a level playing field for EU fleets. In terms of multi-annual plans, or the MAPs, the Council has asked the Commission to present a proposal to amend three northern MAPs as regards the so-called 5% rule, and the Western Mediterranean MAP, the West Med, as regards mixed fisheries opportunities. Once Commission proposals are tabled, the Irish presidency will do its utmost to progress as quickly as possible to ensure the swift adoption of such an important regulation. In relation to the joint transposition of the Regional Fisheries Management Organisation measures, the proposed amendments concern seven regulations for six RFMOs. The aim of the proposal is to ensure that the EU's obligations in these RFMOs are met without going beyond what is necessary to achieve the RFMOs' objectives.
The Irish presidency is committed to advance as much as possible with this proposal during its presidency term, ultimately to agree on a Council mandate for negotiations with European Parliament and possibly to start inter-institutional negotiations. Moving on to external relations, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements, SFPAs, are an essential part of the Common Fisheries Policy.
The Council is favorable to extending the Union's network of SFPAs on the basis of a thorough evaluation of the interests of the respective parties. However, the cost of the agreements must be proportionate to the benefits for EU fleets. For the renewal of these agreements and protocols, the Irish presidency stands ready to facilitate in the Council and to support the Commission in negotiations so that the new texts can be agreed upon promptly. Following publication of the Commission's report on its evaluation of the common fisheries policy regulation, Ireland's presidency will reflect on the outcomes of the evaluation and the next steps. Central to this work will be the consideration of how the Union can sustainably develop its fisheries and aquaculture sectors and ensure that the important role of these sectors is appropriately reflected in decisions taken at European level, including the 2040 vision for fisheries and aquaculture.
Competitive potential and economic opportunity for European fishers and aquaculture producers rely on clean, resilient oceans and healthy seas. The Irish presidency will proactively engage in discussions around the European Ocean Pact to ensure that the Union's unified approach to ocean is cognizant of all users.
As was noted by the European Council on the 18th and 19th of June, the Commission has recently presented a strategy on resilient, prosperous, and livable coastal communities. Supporting coastal and island communities is one of the priorities of the European Ocean Pact, as you will be aware. While the Council has not had the opportunity yet to analyze and discuss the proposed strategy in more detail, we acknowledge that it is timely to consider the challenges faced by 95 million people from major port towns to isolated fishing communities in 22 member states. In conclusion, the informal meeting of the fisheries ministers will take place in our own County Cork in the south of Ireland on the 28th and 29th of July. Paolo, we look forward to welcoming you there as part of the delegation from this committee.
We look forward to that being able to attend. Go mbuailfidh sibh ar an deasc clár oibre na hÉireann don Chomhairle Talmhaíochta agus Iascaigh a chur i láthair. Táim ag tnúth le bheith ag obair i gcomhar leis an bParlaimint agus leis an gCoiste seo sna míonna atá romhainn. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Minister, and it will be a pleasure for our committee to be represented and thank you for the invitation. Now I'll give the floor to members, beginning with the coordinators of the political groups, and then in a second round, I'll give the floor to other members that wish to intervene. So, I'll give the floor for three minutes to Mrs. Kalniete from EPP. The floor is yours.
Isabelle Le Callennec
Merci, Président. Merci pour votre contribution et vos ambitions pour la pêche européenne. Nous attendons beaucoup de cette présidence, car les Irlandais sont bien placés pour savoir à quel point la pêche et l'aquaculture participent de la sécurité alimentaire de l'Union. La présidence chypriote a permis d'avancer sur plusieurs sujets. Nous disposons désormais d'une évaluation de la politique commune de la pêche.
Nous dialoguons en continu pour faire évoluer à la hausse le budget pêche 2028-2034 et nous apercevons les contours de ce que pourrait être une loi sur les océans. À la suite de l'évaluation de la PCP, notre commission travaille à une résolution qui va insister sur la simplification que nous ont promis les commissaires Kadis et Dombrovskis. Modernisation de la flotte. Il faut revoir les notions de capacité, de jauge et de puissance. C'est un enjeu de décarbonation, de sécurité à bord et d'attractivité du métier.
Il ne s'agit pas de pêcher plus, mais de pêcher mieux. Obligation de débarquement : il convient de travailler à la sélectivité des engins plutôt que d'imposer des obligations déconnectées de la réalité. Sur les plans pluriannuels de gestion, vous en avez parlé, ils doivent être révisés pour éviter des variations trop importantes d'une année sur l'autre, en particulier en Méditerranée. Meilleure prise en compte des facteurs qui influent sur la ressource et donc sur le RMD. La pêche ne peut être retenue pour responsable du mauvais état de certains stocks, elle en est aussi la victime.
Enfin, garantie d'un level playing field vis-à-vis des pays tiers qui ne respectent pas les mêmes normes environnementales, sociales et sanitaires que nos pêcheurs européens. Sur le budget 2028-2034, avec les 4,5 milliards, le compte n'y est toujours pas. Nous devons et nous venons d'adopter à la quasi-unanimité l'avis de la commission pêche sur les plans nationaux, je vous invite à en prendre note. Et pour nourrir nos débats sur le budget, je pense qu'il serait utile de disposer rapidement de l'évaluation du FEAMPA que nous attendons.
Cela nous aiderait à prioriser les réponses aux défis de la filière et à disposer d'un règlement performance adéquat. Nous sommes en outre convaincus que la pêche et l'aquaculture devraient pouvoir bénéficier du fonds compétitivité. Sur l'Ocean Act, nous avons adopté un rapport sur la directive MSP qui sera notre base de discussion. L'Irlande pourrait nous aider à travailler par exemple sur la question des aires marines protégées avec une approche chère au commissaire Costas Kadis au cas par cas. Enfin, nous allons approcher du Conseil de décembre, vous l'avez dit, sur les TAC et quotas.
Nous comptons sur l'Irlande pour protéger les intérêts de nos pêcheurs européens, les décisions prises l'an dernier, je pense au maquereau, ayant laissé des traces. Et puis last but not least, en tant que rapporteur permanent sur le Brexit, j'aimerais personnellement que nous travaillions, et vous l'avez dit, avec l'Irlande à apaiser nos relations avec les Britanniques ou la Norvège. Pour tout ceci, merci d'avance.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Le Calennec. Now I pass the floor to the S&D coordinator, Mr. Rodrigues. The floor is yours.
André Franqueira Rodrigues
Thank you, Chair.
Senhor Ministro, começo naturalmente por em meu nome pessoal e do grupo dos Socialistas e Democratas por lhe desejar e a todo o governo irlandês o maior sucesso para os seis meses ao leme do Conselho. É sempre um prazer trabalhar com os governos dos Estados-Membros e neste caso da Comissão das Pescas ainda o é mais com a Irlanda, uma nação marítima que compreende tal como Portugal o que significa construir políticas para este recurso incrível que permite de facto a vida no nosso planeta. A Irlanda assume a presidência num momento mais delicado das negociações sobre o quadro financeiro plurianual 2028-2034. Herda da presidência cipriota uma caixa de negociação de cerca de 1,73 biliões de euros, ainda inferior à proposta da própria Comissão Europeia e mais distante ainda daquilo que este Parlamento considera necessário para responder aos complexos desafios que temos atualmente pela frente. Em abril aprovámos o nosso relatório intercalar que reclama um orçamento de 1,93 biliões de euros correspondente a cerca de 1,27% do rendimento nacional bruto da União Europeia com o serviço da dívida do Next Generation EU mantido fora dos limites orçamentais para que não consuma o financiamento dos programas.
No que respeita especificamente às pescas a situação continua muito difícil. A proposta da Comissão continua a reservar apenas cerca de 2 mil milhões de euros para a política comum das pescas no âmbito dos planos nacionais e regionais de parceria face aos cerca de 6 mil milhões atuais. Ora como coordenador do grupo dos socialistas e democratas nesta comissão continuamos a opor-nos tanto à dimensão deste corte como à aglomeração das pescas num único plano nacional a par da coesão e da agricultura. Na verdade acabámos de aprovar o parecer sobre os planos de parceria nacionais e regionais do qual fui relator onde defendemos um envelope significativamente mais elevado reservado e semelhante ao FEAMPA bem como 1,5 mil milhões de euros dentro da rubrica do Europa Global para os nossos acordos de parceria no domínio da pesca sustentável para as organizações regionais de gestão das pescas e para o pacto para os oceanos. Por isso a minha pergunta é muito directa.
O que vai a presidência fazer para elevar o nível de ambição para o financiamento futuro da política comum de pescas? E por outro lado que leitura faz da recente avaliação da política comum de pescas apresentada pela Comissão?
Senhor ministro, isto vai ser, como todos já percebemos, uma maratona. Precisamos por isso que a Irlanda, as diferentes regiões, as capitais nacionais e este Parlamento remem todos no mesmo sentido. Aguardamos por isso com expectativa o trabalho que em conjunto teremos para responder a esses desafios nos próximos seis meses da presidência irlandesa. Muito obrigado.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you, Mr. Rodrigues. Now I pass the floor to ECR coordinator, Mr. Bartulica. The floor is yours for three minutes, please.
Stephen Nikola Bartulica
Thank you, chair. I will speak in Croatian. Gospodine ministre, dobrodošli u Europski parlament. Načelno mogu reći da se slažem sa iznesenim prioritetima vašeg predsjedništva. Dolazim iz Hrvatske, pa me konkretno zanima sljedeće.
Dakle, znamo da Europa uvozi oko 70% ribe koju konzumiramo. 70% je uvoz. Izgubljena je ravnoteža između održivosti i zaštite interesa ribara, rekao bih na štetu ribara. Moramo to hitno promijeniti.
Već dugo o tome raspravljamo. Zanima me konkretno koje mjere i planove će irsko predsjedništvo imati posebno za Jadransko more. Hrvatski ribari se suočavaju sa rastućim ograničenjima, troškovima poslovanja i potrebom za očuvanjem konkurentnosti. Puno se o tome govori, ali malo se mijenja. Kako će predsjedništvo u svojim prioritetima uzeti u obzir specifične izazove ribarstva na Jadranu?
Iznimno teška situacija u sektoru male plave ribe, invazivne vrste, zastarjela i već dijelom neprovediva regulativa, ova uredba mediteranska koja je na snazi od 2006. Zastarjela je.
Drugo, u vašim prioritetima navedeno je da će predsjedništvo posebnu pažnju posvetiti pitanjima sigurnosti hrane. Slažemo se. Međutim, koje mjere i aktivnosti planirate u sektoru ribarstva i akvakulture kako bi se osigurala konkurentnost, sigurnost i dostupnost hrane, pojednostavljenje postupka, administrativna rasterećenja te generacijske obnove? Hvala lijepa.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank so much. And now I'll pass the floor to the coordinator of Renew, Mrs. Wiesner. The floor is yours for three minutes, please.
Emma Ytterell
Thank you so much, Chair, and thank you so much, Minister, for being here. The upcoming six months will be important for the European fisheries, and I believe that the Irish presidency agenda, strengthened with unity, resonates very well in this PECH committee. Fisheries is not a niche sector; it's one of the Union's core common policies, and getting the matters right for our oceans and for the people who depend on them is indeed also a key priority for this committee. Hey, here I am. I have three political questions for you and then one on the process.
First of all, the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy.
From Renew's point of view, we would really like to see some concrete actions on several issues that the evaluation points at. There is no point on evaluating if you have no intention in follow-up and do something differently. So my first question is: what steps will the Irish presidency take to put pressure on the Commission to deliver action on the CFP evaluation findings, and in particular how to make the landing obligation work in the upcoming months? So first CFP. Second of all, one of the most tangible deliverables of the presidency are the fishing opportunities for 2027.
We need fair outcome based on science and long-term trajectories, not least for the Baltic Sea. So my second question is: how aware are you of the very delicate and critical situation that the Baltic Sea is in, and what will you do to protect the Baltic Sea? We have taken concrete measures and actions here in this house as Parliament, we pointed at the evaluation of the Baltic Sea map, but so far very little has been done. And to be very blunt and honest, a lot of things actually gets worse when they end up in Council. So how do you tend to change that?
Thirdly, how will the presidency ensure that the EU position in the EU-UK and EU-Norway, the annual consultations, adequately protect the Union's fisheries interest, particularly given the continued asymmetry in the access and efforts? So the external dimension of the fishery policies. We see how the much pressure and the tensions are growing in the relations EU-UK, but also EU-Norway. But I think we should also add the Iceland to that list as a potential opportunity. So the external dimension.
And finally, my fourth question is more of a procedural wise. Now you've got three questions on the policies, but procedural wise, now we are working on the vision for the 2040 fisheries and aquaculture. My question is how do you intend to work as presidency to continue the debate with this Parliament and make us a part of the discussions and the equation? Can you commit to set up a dedicated structured dialogue with Parliament when this vision is also discussed in Council? Parliament would very much be part of it and we truly want to work together on this strategic and long-term topic.
So how procedural wise do you intend to work with us as Parliament? Thank you so much.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Mrs. Wiesner. Now I pass the floor to the coordinator of Greens, Mrs. Roose. The floor is yours.
Isabella Lövin
Thank you very much, Chair, and welcome, Minister, to this committee. Well, on the kind of long-term needs of European fisheries and the ocean, you mentioned the multiannual plans, that that was one of the priorities, to get rid of the 5% rule of the MAPs. My question, I was the rapporteur on the multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea implementing report, and I wonder if you have seen it, if you've read it, and if you will heed the call of the European Parliament to implement security buffers, automatic measures when stocks fall below certain levels, to apply the precautionary approach and the ecosystem approaches, and to pause trawling for fishmeal and fish oil. Because as my colleague Wiesner just said, the Baltic Sea is in a really, really urgent state, and this is not me saying this, this is the HELCOM committee, and its Secretary General gave the diagnosis of the Baltic Sea as being a dying patient.
And if we don't do exactly everything we can do in order to get it healthy again, it will be too late. So I think the focus on getting rid of the 5% rule, and the 5% rule is if there's more than 5% risk of a stock collapsing, then we should not be fishing at all. And I think that's very high risk, and I wonder if the Council agrees on that and also agrees that the fish stocks and the ocean is a public asset. It does not belong to the fishing sector, it does belong to citizens and to the future. So I also wonder the rebuilding trajectory, because the Council agreed on that in October to ask ICES for a rebuilding trajectory for the Baltic Sea, and we haven't seen any such advice yet.
Will the Irish presidency make sure that we have that advice ahead of the TACs and quotas negotiation in October for the Baltic Sea so that we really can apply that, because it's really, really urgent? Now lastly, on the Ocean Act, this is a real opportunity for a paradigm shift to end the fragmentation of different marine and ocean policies at the EU level.
But we need the Council to really take leadership and prepare for an ambitious Ocean Act. So this is also a question to you: will you gather the relevant ministers in order to have a really in-depth discussion on the possibilities and the real opportunities that this presents to have a new Ocean Act at the EU level? Thank you.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Ms. Lövin. Now, on behalf of the Left group, I'll give the floor to Mr. Flanagan for three minutes, please. The floor is yours.
Luke Ming Flanagan
Thank you, fáilte romhat arís, a uachtaráin. My focus today is on the challenges faced by small-scale fisheries in the European Union, including the challenge of generational renewal, which you talk about. We're never going to overcome the obstacle unless our young people have certainty that they can access the resource. As you're no doubt aware, a key finding of the recent evaluation of the CFP is that small-scale fisheries in the EU face persistent challenges in accessing fishing opportunities. Ireland is a very good example of this, where access to fishing opportunities still depends, in many cases, on being able to show a track record of catching certain species.
This is an impossible condition to fulfill for a new entrant, and it favors large boats, not the smaller boats under 12 meters that make up 76% of the EU fleet and almost 88% of the Irish fleet. The lack of fair and equitable allocation of fishing opportunities to small-scale fishing is another reason impeding generational renewal in the EU. Article 17 of the CFP gives national authorities the power to change this, but has not been properly implemented. This is another key finding of the CFP evaluation and I'll quote it: "The main challenge is not the CFP rules themselves, but inconsistent implementation and enforcement across EU member states." It really worries me that the new financial architecture proposed by the Commission merges EMFAF or standalone fisheries funding program into the national regional and partnership fund and give member states a lot more discretion.
This opens the door for national governments to sideline small-scale fisheries even more, it might sound impossible given what they're going through already. Europe's small-scale producer organizations already struggle to access funding under EMFAF, which is at the discretion of national authorities to administer.
Once again, Ireland provides, sadly, an excellent example. Our two small-scale producer organizations fought hard to gain recognition in 2021 and 2023, and they still cannot access funding to operationalize their production and marketing plans. As part of your independent chairing of Council meetings during the Irish presidency, will you commit to prioritizing the challenges I have outlined above to facilitate access to fishing opportunities and generational renewal within the EU small-scale fishing industry, which is the lifeblood of so many EU coastal and island communities? And I also have to ask you, and this is very worrying, what kind of message do you think it sends out to Ireland's fishing industry when it has been recently reported that you, and not Minister Dooley, our dedicated Minister for Fisheries and the Marine, will be leading negotiations on fisheries matters in the Agri-Council meeting during the Irish presidency? I have met Minister Dooley, he has shown a really good knowledge of this subject, and it's a pity that he can't be here.
And I also have to say, fair dues to the members who turned up, but we have no member of the Irish government who is an MEP here today. And I think it'll tell you how seriously they take fishing. I think it's a bloody disgrace. Not one MEP from Ireland here bar myself, and I don't even live beside the sea.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Mr. Flanagan. Now, to reply, Minister Heydon, there is a lot of questions, and I'll give you the floor to reply for maximum eight minutes. I think I know it's not fair, but it's eight minutes, please. The floor is yours.
Thank you so much, Mr. Flanagan, please let's...
Martin Heydon
Thank you very much, colleagues, for a wide range, in-depth range of questions, which I'll now go through in the order in which they were asked and try and give an overview of our approach to the topics that you raised so passionately. Starting MEP Kalniete, thank you for your comments. You know, both you and other MEPs, including Francisco Rodriguez, mentioned the MFF and the overall budget. It does get to the heart of so much of what we want to achieve in the next seven years and is critical to everything that we do.
And while I, as chair of the Agrifish Council, don't have direct responsibility for the MFF negotiations, it is a key priority of the Irish presidency. And there is, we know, a large expectation that at European Council level and at the top level, we will make very significant progress on the MFF. I referenced in my opening speech the ambition to reach partial general approach on many elements throughout our presidency. Obviously, until the MFF is agreed, you have brackets and you can't get the full general approach. So across every council, across every issue, we require clarity on the MFF and we are very aware of that in our presidency and it is a key focus for us across government and across this presidency as the honest broker.
You also raised, along with other colleagues, including Franquero Rodriguez, MEP Barticula and MEP Flanagan, the issue of generational renewal. And MEP Flanagan, you asked will I take on board the points and the priorities you raised.
Generational renewal gets to the heart of so many of the challenges we face. If so much of our discussions on next fishing opportunities are about future stocks and sustainability, and you would have heard me yesterday speak at the AGRI committee around the three elements of sustainability, which are as true for fisheries as they are in any other sphere, of economic, social, and environmental. Everything we do, and if we can get our policies right, it will aid generational renewal. So to that point, it is a key focus of our presidency. And for the fishery sector, for our informal, which will be held in Cork at the end of this month, generational renewal will be the key theme of the discussion at that informal debate, showing the priority that I intend to place on that.
So, and also MEP Billy Kelleher, your point about being standing rapporteur on Brexit, obviously we understand that relationship with third countries. While negotiated solely by the Commission, Ireland's role here is to coordinate the response of member states on Council.
And we are well placed in Ireland to understand the benefits of a close working relationship in that in that regard. So I thank you for your comments on that. MEP Rodriguez asked highlighted that this is a marathon. And I would be very much in agreement. This is not a sprint, although the four and a half months, if you take out August and Christmas, will be a very intensive period throughout the six months of our presidency.
It is a marathon and we will be running hard in December as much as we are today in July. But he did ask that we would all be rowing together. And we in Ireland are very proud of our Olympic medals in rowing. So I can guarantee you we will all row well and row hard together. And similarly, the points that he raised around the MFF and the next generation, you know, I've addressed in that regard.
Isabel, you also referenced energy transition. And the Council recognizes the need for energy transition in the fishing fleet.
Council anticipates the publication of an energy transition plan as an annex to the Vision 2040, and the Council looks forward to the publication of this important document. So in terms of MEP Bartolo, thank you for your point around our priorities and the points on the Adriatic Sea as well. As Presidency, Ireland will coordinate with all of the concerned Member States to ensure the Commission strongly pursues the theme of compliance with the rules laid down for shared fisheries in the Adriatic, and the upcoming meeting in September will be the first step in in that regard. So we take on board the points you raise around the Adriatic, how important that is for Croatia and other Member States.
And you know, we will be that honest broker in the chair in addressing the issues that you outlined and the concerns that you outlined regarding the Adriatic. And from the points around food security, you know, in terms of the MFF and the negotiations on the budget we have, I've articulated on a number of occasions that I'm very keen that in any debates around increased spending and desire for member states on defense, which I understand in terms of that threat posed by a whole range of different elements of defense discussion and security now, from cyber to hybrid and all the rest. I'm really keen that we don't end up in a situation where the debate is security and defense over here, CFP, CAP over here. Food security is an integral part of that discussion around defense. The EU is predominantly a peace project.
And you know, our focus on food and supporting our CFP and the CAP over the last number of decades in the EU spoke directly to that. We know hunger is the greatest cause of conflict in the world. So when the conversation is happening in the budget around security and defense, I am on the record as saying regularly food security needs to be an integral part of that discussion and that debate because it is so important. And sustainable stocks supports food security because food security isn't just for today or tomorrow.
It is that longer term and it's the key theme of the CFP and the work of the Council in that regard. On the points raised, yep, on to my next page, MEP Løkkegaard raised a number of points around the Baltics, as did MEP Wiesner, and thank you for that. We look forward to the Commission's proposal to amend the West Med and other multi-annual plans. We understand the priority many of you place on the Baltic Sea. You've articulated the concerns and the environmental reports to date and its wider context.
And you know, we will have more, better advice for the year ahead, but there is more to be done in that regard. And in many of this case, the point was raised around the ICES and the proposals that will be coming and how we will deal with that. The ICES process isn't a matter directly for the Presidency. We have to respect its independence, its science-based, and of course, and we will examine the Commission's proposals in the manner and the Council always examines that. But we stand ready to, you know, deal with and work closely with the Commission with any outcome in that regard.
MEP Wiesner also talked about the EU, UK, Norway, Iceland and beyond and the Icelandic people have a government have proposed a referendum in August, so we'll leave that to them. And if they do sign up to that, then we stand ready to engage and work on a mutually beneficial approach in that regard. And that's an important part of that. Yeah, MEP Løven raised the Ocean Pact. The Irish presidency will proactively engage in discussions around the European Ocean Pact to ensure the Union's unified approach to oceans is cognizant of all users.
I understand that the Commission's ambition is to table a draft Ocean Act by the year end for discussion at the General Affairs Council. And finally, Luke Ming, you raised, obviously I answered the points on generational renewal earlier. You talked about your concern with the EMFAF as part of the NRPP. You know, at the Council for the last 17 months when I've been there, we talked about ideally there would be evolution of policy as opposed to revolution and the NRPP feels more like revolution. It's a very big change after very big change that we had in 2023.
But there's a need for that in terms of the broader policy and we have to deal with that. And the time will come as the senior cabinet minister for fisheries in Ireland, no more than every other minister for fisheries, there will be a time for national debate where there'll be a cabinet table and I'll be looking at other Irish ministers across the table and making sure I'll have to have sharp elbows and fight the corner of the fishery sector, like I do whenever fisheries items comes up on the agenda. And to that point, you know, that you raised with Minister Dooley, I am the senior minister for fisheries, I raise it and represent it at cabinet and I work really closely with Minister Dooley. Minister Dooley will be at all Council meetings in the Irish chair. And obviously in the presidency, obviously, you know, we are the honest broker where Minister Dooley's role and delegated functions continue from the day-to-day element of that.
Thank you, Chair.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Minister. And now I'll give the floor to other members that wish to speak and we will start by Mr. Millán Mon. The floor is yours for one and a half minute, please.
Francisco José Millán Mon
Gracias, presidente. Ministro, celebro que uno de sus principales objetivos sea fortalecer la competitividad de la pesca y la acuicultura, garantizar el relevo, asegurar la, en fin, la seguridad alimentaria, valga la redundancia, y la prosperidad de las comunidades costeras, y eso pasa mucho por la pesca.
Sé que usted tiene un semestre lleno de trabajo. Este segundo semestre suele ser muy trabajoso para los responsables de la pesca. Yo quería citar tres puntos si me deja el presidente. El primero, el marco financiero plurianual. Usted ya sabe que el recorte de la Comisión era totalmente inaceptable, que nosotros en el Parlamento hemos subido la cantidad a 7.300 millones.
Hoy lo hemos reiterado en un voto masivo en esta casa. La presidencia chipriota presentó en el Negobox una propuesta de 4.000 millones, pero es muy insuficiente. Yo le pido que consiga y trabaje por una financiación adecuada para pesca y acuicultura. Nos hablaba de remar como gran deporte en Irlanda. Reme con nosotros.
Nosotros también nos gusta remar. Nosotros estamos con el sector pesquero, los que reman. No estamos mirando para atrás ni para una pesca que no tenga futuro. Necesitamos una pesca con futuro y contamos con usted. Simplificación.
Pues yo creo que es para ustedes es clave y también lo creo que será clave también para el mundo de la pesca. Desgraciadamente la Comisión todavía no se ha convencido. Espero también que sea un aliado con nosotros y que impulse a la Comisión de una vez a presentar sus propuestas para los planes plurianuales, en particular el del Mediterráneo, que corre mucha prisa, y también para el FEMPA.
Y añadiría dos cosas que usted no ha mencionado, si me permite. Hay que modificar el reglamento de aguas profundas y excluir al palangre, una tontería que se hizo en el 2022 y que conviene revertir. Y luego también aprovechen este ómnibus de simplificación para modificar algunos aspectos muy concretos del reglamento de control. Termino porque la reforma de la PPC solamente. Usted habla de que tiene que reflexionarse sobre ella.
Todos le urgimos al señor Costa-Cádiz hace una semana, casi todos, que se ponga en marcha de una vez la reforma de la PPC. No deliberen, no reflexionen mucho. La evaluación lo pone de relieve, hay que reformarla. Se acabó el tiempo de reflexionar, hay que actuar. Gracias.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Gracias, Mr. Millán Mon. Now I pass the floor to Mr. Padiaden. The floor is yours for one and a half minutes.
Thomas Bajada
Thank you, and it's very good to see you again, Minister. I know it's a very difficult task to go to three different committees in 24 hours, but it's good to see you and it would be better if I get answers to my questions.
J'ai entendu à maintes reprises que c'est une priorité, mais j'aimerais savoir quelles sont les actions spécifiques que la présidence va entreprendre pour garantir un soutien. C'est bien que ce soit une priorité, mais les priorités qui restent sur le papier sont inutiles. Et je voudrais vous demander si vous voyez la possibilité d'une flexibilité sur les aides d'État pour transférer des navires de pêcheurs plus âgés vers de jeunes pêcheurs comme l'une des actions possibles. Pas des aides d'État pour les prix de l'énergie, mais des aides d'État pour transférer des navires, tout comme cela se passe dans le secteur agricole. Deuxièmement, des conditions de concurrence équitables.
C'est extrêmement important, surtout en Méditerranée. Je comprends que vous veniez d'un pays du Nord, mais je dois souligner l'importance de la Méditerranée et, sous votre présidence, vous préparerez à la fois l'ICCAT et la CGPM. Je vous ai entendu dire que vous vouliez vous coordonner avec les États membres. Je tiens à souligner que ce Parlement devra éventuellement, par voie de codécision, transposer dans le droit de l'UE tout ce que vous déciderez au Conseil et tout ce que vous négocierez au sein de l'ORGP. Il est donc extrêmement important que vous écoutiez toujours le Parlement.
Je ne vous demande pas de faire plus que ce que les traités permettent, mais vous devez écouter ce que cette commission dit et souligne, en particulier en ce qui concerne la pêche non durable et la pêche INN en Méditerranée.
The situation is very difficult, and I want to ask if you are looking at the revised non-sustainable fishing regulation that was done last year as a credible deterrent for all of this. And to close, Chair, I am the rapporteur of the RFMO Omnibus. I heard what your intentions are, look forward to work with you in that respect to advance the file, and also to sign off the file of the previous RFMO Omnibus. Thank you.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. Now I pass the floor to Mr. Ruissen. The floor is yours for one and a half minutes, please.
Bert-Jan Ruissen
Dank u wel, voorzitter. Meneer de minister, de visserijsector staat voor hele grote uitdagingen en het is daarom van groot belang dat het voorzitterschap inzet op voorspelbaarheid, uitvoerbaarheid en een toekomstig beleid. Ik wil drie vragen aan u stellen in dit verband. Allereerst over de evaluatie van het gemeenschappelijk visserijbeleid. Die evaluatie ligt er nu.
Het is duidelijk dat we te maken hebben met diverse knelpunten en tekortkomingen, en voor ons is het glashelder dat we echt behoefte hebben aan een herzieningsvoorstel. We verwachten echt van de Europese Commissie om met herzieningsvoorstellen te komen om het GVB aan te passen. Steunt u ons daarin? Bent u het ook met ons eens dat er behoefte is aan een vereenvoudigingspakket? Bent u het met ons eens dat er ook behoefte is aan een visserij-omnibus om tot een vereenvoudiging te komen voor het visserijbeleid?
Mijn tweede vraag heeft betrekking op het meerjarig financieel kader. Er ligt een duidelijk standpunt van het Europees Parlement. Het Europees Parlement heeft gezegd: wij vragen minimaal om een bedrag van 7,29 miljard euro voor de visserij. Wij nemen absoluut geen genoegen met de 2 miljard die de Commissie voorstelt. De vraag aan u is: steunt u ons hierin?
Bent u bereid om het Parlement hierin tegemoet te komen? En wat zijn de gevoelens in de Raad over het budget voor de visserij? Ik kan me toch voorstellen dat ook de Raad niet tevreden is met het voorstel van de Commissie op dit punt. Laatste vraag heeft betrekking op de vangstmogelijkheden. Binnenkort natuurlijk weer onderhandelingen over de TAC's en quota.
Iedere keer weer spannend voor de vissers. Bent u bereid om te kijken of we kunnen gaan werken met meer meerjarige quota, zodat we meer stabiliteit kunnen geven en continuïteit kunnen bieden aan de vissers? Dank u wel.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. And now I pass the floor to Mrs. Nion-Kortam for one and a half minutes. The floor is yours, Vice-Chair.
Stéphanie Yon-Courtin
Merci Monsieur le Président. Monsieur le Ministre, cher Martin. La présidence irlandaise arrive à un moment très stratégique pour l'avenir de notre pêche européenne parce que nous bataillons pour sécuriser un budget à la hauteur pour soutenir la pêche dans le prochain cadre financier pluriannuel et parce que nous voulons que la Commission aille plus loin qu'une simple évaluation de la politique commune des pêches et qu'elle propose une réforme de la PCP au plus vite. Nous aurons besoin de votre soutien. Vous l'avez vu dans ces batailles et je suis ravie de voir que votre présidence porte des priorités claires pour le soutien aux pêcheurs et aux professionnels de la mer.
Merci.
Beaucoup de sujets ont été abordés. Je voudrais revenir sur quatre points. D'abord, la Commission a laissé entendre qu'une révision ciblée du règlement FEAMPA pourrait être présentée. Êtes-vous favorable à cette proposition ? Vous en avez parlé tout à l'heure afin d'utiliser les fonds non utilisés de la période 21-28 et de faciliter l'accès au financement pour répondre à toutes les urgences du secteur de la pêche dans nos régions.
Ensuite, nos pêcheurs irlandais et français notamment dans la Manche continuent de subir les répercussions du Brexit. Pensez-vous qu'il faut examiner si les mesures récemment adoptées par le Royaume-Uni et Jersey avec l'extension des aires marines protégées sans aucune concertation constituent une violation des termes de l'accord du commerce et de coopération ?
Également, la présidence irlandaise est-elle favorable à une régionalisation approfondie de la PCP, vous savez, en fonction des spécificités de chaque façade, y compris sur les mesures de gestion dans la bande des 12 milles marins pour mieux protéger la pêche artisanale ? Monsieur le ministre, dans nos ports de pêche, dans nos territoires comme chez moi en Normandie, nos pêcheurs ne veulent plus de promesses, ils attendent des actes. Monsieur le ministre, cher Martin, c'est un plaisir de travailler avec vous à nouveau, de se retrouver et j'espère qu'on travaillera main dans la main aussi bien que nous l'avons fait en 2019 lorsque dans nos fonctions respectives passées nous avons jumelé deux de nos villes, la mienne quand j'étais maire, Saint-Contest en Normandie, et Kilcullen dans votre comté de Kildare. C'était une très belle aventure et j'espère que nous allons pouvoir continuer à nous aider.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Vice-Chair. I will now pass the floor to Mr. Herbst. The floor is yours.
Niclas Herbst
Thank you. The MFF has been mentioned a couple of times and of course we are absolutely in this committee in favor of a sufficient and also strictly ring-fenced budget as you've heard, but I want to also refer to some concrete issues concerning the MFF.
We want some key articles transferred from the overarching ENPP regulation back to the sectoral regulation where they practically and also legally belong. And I know that Council has been outspoken on this as well, so we do count on your support and we need results on this. And also when it comes to, you know, trying to prevent that this position is circumvented, for example when it comes to legislation concerning the do no significant harm principle. You know that the guidance for instance on DNSH needs to be, you know, watched very closely in this regard, and we count on Council's support this, and we will support you and the Irish presidency in demonstrating the same commitment to structural coherence and also financial guarantees.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. Now I pass the floor to Mr. Anatoglou. The floor is yours for one and a half minute, please.
Sakis Arnaoutoglou
I will speak in Greek.
Κύριε Υπουργέ, ακούσαμε με ενδιαφέρον τις προτεραιότητές σας, όμως οφείλω να πω ότι μου δώσατε την εντύπωση, και όχι μόνο σε εμένα και στον συνάδελφο δίπλα μου από τη Μάλτα, μιας ατζέντας που κοιτάζει κυρίως προς το βορειοανατολικό Ατλαντικό. Ακούσαμε εκτενείς αναφορές στο Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο, Νορβηγία, Βαλτική, Βόρεια Θάλασσα, ενώ η Μεσόγειος, παρότι είναι μια θάλασσα η οποία έχει ιδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά και ιδιαίτερες περιβαλλοντικές πιέσεις, αλλά και οι μικρής κλίμακας παράκτιοι αλιείς που αποτελούν στην πραγματικότητα για εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες αλιείς, έμειναν, θα μου επιτρέψετε, στο περιθώριο σχεδόν εντελώς. Ελπίζω ότι στην πράξη η ιρλανδική προεδρία θα διασφαλίσει μια πραγματικά ισορροπημένη προσέγγιση για όλες τις θαλάσσιες λεκάνες της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και όχι μόνο για τις βόρειες, αξιότιμε κύριε Υπουργέ, γιατί δεν υπάρχει χρόνος πλέον για χάσιμο. Τώρα, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση οφείλει να προστατεύσει αποτελεσματικά τα ευρωπαϊκά ύδατα και τα ιχθυαποθέματα από παράνομες ή ανεξέλεγκτες δραστηριότητες τρίτων χωρών, όπως για παράδειγμα στην περίπτωσή μας στην Ελλάδα από την Τουρκία. Δεν είναι δυνατό οι Ευρωπαίοι αλιείς να τηρούν αυστηρούς κανόνες, ενώ οι τρίτες χώρες να λειτουργούν χωρίς αντίστοιχους περιορισμούς.
Προτεραιότητα λοιπόν θα πρέπει να αποτελέσει η ουσιαστική στήριξη των μικρών και παράκτιων αλιέων, ιδιαίτερα σε νησιωτικές και απομακρυσμένες περιοχές, όπου η αλιεία αποτελεί βασικό πυλώνα της τοπικής οικονομίας και της κοινωνικής συνοχής, κύριε Υπουργέ, ενώ παράλληλα πλήττεται γενικά και από χωροκατακτητικά είδη όπως ο λαγοκέφαλος. Σκοπεύετε λοιπόν σε πρώτη φάση να κάνετε κάτι άμεσα για τη διαχείριση των λαγοκέφαλων και την προστασία και την αποζημίωση όλων των πληγέντων αλιέων;
Ο λαγοκέφαλος δεν απειλεί μόνο τους αλιείς, θα πρέπει να σας πω ότι αποτελεί κίνδυνο και για τους λουόμενους, ενώ προκαλεί σοβαρές ζημιές στα αλιευτικά εργαλεία και μεγάλες απώλειες εισοδήματος. Στην Ελλάδα θα πρέπει να σας πω ότι η κυβέρνηση επέλεξε να αποζημιώσει μόνο δύο περιφέρειες, παρότι το πρόβλημα έχει επεκταθεί σε πολλές ακόμη θαλάσσιες περιοχές. Σας ευχαριστώ.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. Now I pass the floor to Mr. Smith from ECR, two minutes.
Sander Smit
Thank you, Chair. Welcome again, Your Excellency. We already spoke in yesterday's Environmental Committee as well. I welcome the Irish Presidency's commitment to competitiveness, simplification, and food security. These are the right political priorities for Europe's fishery sector, and I also discussed them already with your colleague and Minister of State, Timmy Dooley.
However, I'm struck by the lack of concrete fisheries initiatives in the Presidency program. While your objectives are clear, it remains very unclear how they will be translated into legislative action. Over the last weeks, this committee has repeatedly called for progress on issues such as the evaluation of the CFP, revising the landing obligation, fleet modernization, generational renewal, simplification, restoration of the fisheries fund in the MFF. Yet none of these files appear among the Presidency's priorities.
Instead, the Irish presidency, I quote, the Irish presidency will reflect on the outcomes of the evaluation and next steps. We urgently need a fisheries omnibus, so initiatives to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and improve the competitiveness of the sector. Ireland does too. Could you on behalf of the presidency indicate which concrete fisheries dossiers and legislative and policy initiatives you intend to prioritize during your term, particularly regarding the CFP evaluation and very concretely the landing obligation.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much for filling the time. Now I'll pass the floor to Mr. Kristensen. The floor is yours.
Asger Christensen
Thank you very much, and I will speak Danish, please. Jeg er selv mælkeproducent, min morfar var fisker, så jeg ved lidt omkring det virkelige liv. Så det er bare at støtte op omkring Emmas indlæg omkring Nordsøen, omkring aftaler med UK, aftaler med Norge.
Altså det er en meget, meget, meget vigtig del for Danmark, at vi får de her aftaler på plads, sådan at fiskerne de ved, hvad de har at gøre med i 27. Så er det mig meget magtpåliggende at gøre det lettere for fiskere og for landmænd at være virksomhedsejere. Simplificeringsdagsordenen, den er super, super vigtig. Landingsforpligtelsen er et bureaukratisk monster, vi har fået implementeret i fiskeriaftalen. Det håber jeg, at I vil gøre noget ved det.
Og så kameradelen, som fiskerne har fået installeret. Det skulle egentlig være en lettelse på bureaukratiet ved at implementere kamera, men det har gjort det modsatte. Så hvad vil du gøre ved det? Og så har vi en mega, mega stor konflikt stadigvæk omkring tobis i Nordsøen med England. Jeg håber, at du kan banke englænderne på plads.
Tak.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. Now I'll pass the floor to Mr. Sagiacomo.
Eric Sargiacomo
Merci, Monsieur le Président. Monsieur le Ministre, cher Martin. La présidence irlandaise du Conseil est l'occasion de donner un nouvel élan à l'avenir de la pêche européenne. En pleine négociation sur le prochain cadre financier pluriannuel, nous devons défendre un budget à la hauteur de nos ambitions et des enjeux de notre souveraineté alimentaire et maritime. Et pour l'instant, le compte n'y est pas.
Nos pêcheurs ont besoin de visibilité, notamment sur les quotas.
On a tous en tête l'exemple du maquereau. Pour investir, innover, transmettre leurs entreprises et donner confiance aux jeunes générations. Cette ambition doit aussi renforcer des communautés côtières, qu'elles soient fortes, vivantes et attractives, véritables piliers de nos territoires maritimes. Enfin, la transition écologique ne réussira que si elle est une transition juste, une transition qui protège la ressource tout en garantissant un avenir à celles et ceux qui vivent de la mer. Notre responsabilité collective est claire : bâtir une politique qui n'oublie ni les poissons, ni les hommes, et qui conjugue durabilité, résilience et vitalité de nos territoires.
Vous l'avez compris avec les prises de parole de tous nos collègues, quels que soient les bancs, nous attendons beaucoup de la présidence irlandaise en matière de pêche. Alors, ne nous décevez pas.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. And now I'll pass the floor to Mrs. Miranda Paz.
The floor is yours for two minutes.
Ana Miranda Paz
Muito obrigada, senhor presidente, e muito obrigada também à presidência irlandesa. Fáilte romhat, Inis Geileach, não? Eu falo como eurodeputada dum povo que está estreitamente ligado à política pesqueira, ligado às pescas, um povo como a Irlanda, um povo atlântico. A Galiza e a Irlanda têm um passado e uma experiência na política das pescas muito grande. Nós temos também muitas empresas que trabalham com a Irlanda.
Mas falo de dois povos bastante discriminados em quanto à política pesqueira, dois povos que não só não contemplam um orçamento ambicioso por parte da Europa, senão que as suas comunidades piscatórias estão muito esquecidas, com governos que navegam contra as suas políticas, como o caso do governo galego. Esta semana no Congresso dos Deputados tivemos uma muito boa notícia. As mulheres que apanham o marisco vão ter uma isenção nas quotas da segurança social, uma demanda histórica que levávamos pedindo no meu partido e que o governo da Galiza nunca atendeu.
Isto é moi importante para as comunidades pescatorias e para as mulleres na pesca. Mais a política de Europa non olla as nosas comunidades pesqueiras, nin en Irlanda nin na Galiza, tamén non na Bretaña. Aquí somos eurodeputadas e eurodeputados que traballamos na defensa da pesca e na defensa das persoas que traballan na pesca e na defensa de que as zonas pesqueiras estean saneadas, estean limpas, na defensa da ecoloxía. Por iso tamén quero saudar a presidencia irlandesa para dicir que traballaremos para que haxa un orzamento ambicioso, unha política pesqueira común que beneficie as comunidades e non que vaia contra delas. Moito obrigada.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Moito obrigado. Now, we don't have any more requests for floor, so I'll give one final comment from my side before I pass the floor to you, Minister. Well, you heard and I have to reiterate questions regarding the next MFF.
It's quite important that we have the ambition that the Parliament decided. We received with a very good spirit the increase of the budget from the Negobox from the Cypriot presidency, and we urge you to continue this ambition inside of the next MFF, on the next creating also, maintaining also the EMFAF. It is important for us, also we voted on this on our Parliament, to have a specific amount dedicated and protected for the outermost regions, and we call it POSEI Fisheries, as we have POSEI for the agriculture, also have POSEI Fisheries, and we already voted also this possibility here at this house. So I urge you to look at these specific programs and specific regimes to take into account the regional specificities. And also we also debated here the local action groups, GAL Pescas.
This is a quite important bottom-up approach. Secondly, I would like also to congratulate you on your vision of the three pillars of sustainability: environmental for sure, but also socio-economic ones. And I urge you also to, when allocated the TACs and quotas on the next December, to take into account the three pillars of sustainability, because our fishermen and also the multi-annual fisheries possibilities, because our fishermen need predictability, stability, and at the same time to take into account their own conditions.
Generation renewal also very important for us and also the question of the renewal of the fleet. And in this case, the considerations based on gross tonnage and the power of the engines, I think it's updated and we are not trying to increase the capacity of fishing, we are just trying to increase the security and the safety of our fishermen and I think this should be also simplified and I totally agree with the need of having an omnibus for fisheries, a simplification package for fisheries. Finally, we have some issues like the Catch IT that we are going to debate afterwards and also the questions related with the landing obligations when they have to register starting for one kilo all the species that the fishermen caught, so it's quite an administrative burden for them and we think that we should return to the previous one when we have this derogation below 50 kilos. And finally, just to highlight the importance of the marine protected areas and what we did in Azores, we just protected 30% of our sea as an MPA, 300,000 square kilometers and it's important that the fisheries are not left behind.
We are trying to compensate the fishers for their losses and we managed to get private funding, public funding, and we are still stuck in the European Commission state aid procedure. So, Minister, a lot of issues for you to answer and I'll give you the floor for a few minutes just to conclude, as long as you want, but to conclude and to close this debate. So the floor is yours, Minister.
Martin Heydon
Thank you, Paulo. 11 questions in a short time, so I will do my best to cover all of the points that have been raised. And again, thank you for the detailed engagement and passionate articulation of the points representing so many of the fishing and coastal communities in which are in your member states. First of all, MEP Millán Mon, thank you. Like so many today, you referenced the MFF, the budget.
It is at the heart of everything we do. Recognize, Paulo, your comments of the progress in the Cyprus presidency with that nego box. Ireland now looks to progress the next nego box, and that will be a critical focus of our overall presidency, while not me. Adequate funding to support fisheries and aquaculture sector is a key component to support the sustainable future of European fishing and seafood sector.
Economic, social and environmental sustainability are the key pillars of the Common Fisheries Policy and as an island nation this is something that we understand very well. So whether it's the Mediterranean or whether it's the North Sea or any other area in that space, we in Ireland as an island nation with so much of a coastal community dependent on fishing as that driver of economic activity in this space, we get it. We understand. And I commit that we will be that honest broker in negotiations between all of the competing demands. That's an important point to make that I take for granted, but I just want to put it on the record to make sure that everybody understands that as well.
MEP Bejara, I struggled with it yesterday, I struggle with it again today, but thank you again for making the time here where you highlighted generational renewal. You talked about the flexibility. You talked about the level playing field for the Mediterranean. I mentioned the Mediterranean equally as much in my speech as I did the North Sea, MEP Artunolagno, sorry, and I'm struggling with the name.
Greece and Italy is just as important, or Greece and Malta or Italy, Mediterranean in general is just as important as any other area. I mentioned them equally in my speech. Let there be no doubt that the Mediterranean is something we have a very dear focus on and will work through in that regard. But you raised the point around really important that we listen to the Parliament. With the greatest respect, it's my third committee in two days.
I am here and while the nature of this format is you ask questions and I answer, what's a very important part of this process is I am also listening. And the points that have been raised here, it's not just about me giving an answer and saying it's taken on board the perspectives. I have been told key priorities by MEPs here today and yesterday. That's why I'm here. I'm listening as much as I'm talking.
In Ireland we have a phrase, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. So while I answer your questions, take on board the value of this engagement goes way beyond me just answering questions. I hear you and I hear the importance of the issues that you raise.
And in terms of your role as rapporteur of the RFMO omnibus, I look forward to engaging with you further also. So MEP Rosan and Smith, you raised simplification and that point. So whether as an omnibus or in another format, we look forward to proposals from the Commission. We want to make the rules as simple as possible, which is really clear obviously. And our experience of implementing fishing policy as an island nation will stand to us.
I am not the first minister to promise our fishing community simplification. And I think it's fair to say whether it's our fishermen and women or our farmers who have previously heard of promises of simplification, they've got something that they thought was different. And you know, MEP Christensen highlighted the bureaucratic nature and you highlighted the practical point around cameras on vessels, supposed to simplify things but in experience can feel differently to fishermen and women on the boats.
So from that perspective, we will try, we will bring that practical experience we have to try and ensure that a simplified approach genuinely does what it says on the tin and does deliver simplification. MEP Jan Huitema, from your small town in Normandy to Kilcullen, what you don't realize is Kilcullen is a small town in Ireland in my constituency of just 3,000 people and it's where I went to school. So we are very closely connected with that twinning that is very, very important. The reform of the CFP you highlighted along with a number of colleagues. And the Irish presidency will continue to steer the political discussion for the future steps to be undertaken following the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy regulation.
The Irish presidency will continue voicing the expectation for concrete proposals by the Commission to follow up on findings of the evaluation and on relevant discussions on Council. And can I make a broader general point? There's a number of very specific questions put to me that you would expect almost to go to a Commissioner. So I'm really clear on what my role is and our role is in the presidency as being that coordinator of the Council, of coordinating and reaching a combined approach of the Council of Ministers. And I'm also aware of what I don't have responsibility for.
So, you know, if it is those third country engagements with the UK, with Norway and beyond. So to my colleague Christensen, who if the interpretation was correct, said wants us to knock down the British people, was I think how it was quoted, I'm not sure if it was made exactly that way, I won't be dealing directly with the British people in those negotiations. I will be coordinating the Council's response and engagement with the Commission. So we do work closely with the Commission, without a doubt, but we don't do that negotiation. But I take the broader point of view on board and again we will be that honest broker in terms of those points.
MEP Herbst raised the MFF as well, which I have outlined and come back to. And obviously I've touched on and answered regarding the Mediterranean, its impact for Greece and beyond and its importance, which I absolutely respect. In terms of MEP Schmidt, again, thank you, second day in a row we've engaged and I've answered in terms of progress on the evaluation of the CFP in that regard.
So next, Eric, you raised the points around fish and humans. You articulated very well, which I think synopsizes the broader point around sustainability, that economic sustainability for the humans is directly linked to the sustainability for the fish or for the quotas. And in terms then of generational renewal, I've made the point when I talk about sustainability in all its forms, it's not just for the fishermen of today and tomorrow that we need to get this right. That's so that there is sustainable fishing opportunities for that next generation to invest and to have a bright future in that regard. MEP Miranda Paz, muchas gracias.
I have only un poco español, so I very much appreciate the attempt of the cúpla focal from us, fair to say, as an island nation on the Atlantic, we understand the importance of the Atlantic Ocean and obviously the Oceans Pact feeds into that in terms of where that's at as well. And then to finalize, Paulo, I hear your points regarding the MPAs, appreciate your comments around sustainability, generational renewal and beyond.
And can I pick up on one point you made where you talked about certainty and safety? In our presidency, I'm determined we have a discussion around safety, around the fact that we have fishermen and women who unfortunately lose their life in workplace incidents. And similar to agriculture, that safety element, it is a very dangerous job. I would like to see better coordination across member states in terms of how we count, how we analyze the scale of the problem. This to me is the social element of social sustainability.
We have an unacceptably high amount of people who lose their lives in fishing incidents and I think we all need to reflect on that, on what are the contributors to it. And it comes back, it is absolutely linked to the budget, it is absolutely linked to generational renewal. You know, if we have more older fishermen and women because the next generation aren't taking on that business, that is a risk as well.
So, there will be times in the autumn in our presidency where I will lead a discussion around safety for both fishing and agriculture that I think we all need to reflect on. And I come at this from a perspective of as a Minister of State in the last government, I had responsibility for farm and fishing safety. And I have great concerns around the challenges we all face in that space. And I think it is a body of work that we would all benefit from putting a clear focus on. Thank you.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much, Minister. If there are no more interventions? No. So I would like to wholeheartedly thank Minister Heydon for having joined us this morning. And I wish him and all his team a very successful presidency.
And the item is closed now. So thank you so much, Minister. And don't forget also the outermost regions that I referred in my speech. Thank you.
Redner 25
Yes, I think so. With all together you refer the coordinators or all the MEPs?
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Let's have a short break for a picture. Who votes against? No one. So it's approved. So maybe you can come everybody here to the podium or downstairs?
Here in the podium, we can take it here in the podium.
Dear colleagues. Let us resume our session, please. So. Now we pass for the next point. The next item in our agenda.
The implementation of the CATCH system for the electronic certification of imported fishery products in the European Union, the persisting challenges and ways forward. As you know, in January of this year, the CATCH digital certification system has been introduced in the EU. This mandatory IT platform is aimed to modernize import controls for fishery products and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
However, its introduction has been facing persisting implementation difficulties with many stakeholders calling for urgent changes in order for the system to work better. I would like to welcome the Commission representative, Mrs. Carmen Preising, Director of DG MARE, that's with us today. Thank you so much for coming. And please, Mrs. Preising, you have the floor for about eight minutes.
Carmen Preising
Thank you very much, Chair, honorable members, good morning. Let me thank you first of all for adding this point, this important point on today's agenda. We've discussed IT Catch several times with the Council and I think it's really important also to have regular discussions and updates in this committee. I will provide a short update on where we are with the implementation of the IT Catch system and with addressing comments and feedback received from Member States, the sector and third countries over the last months since the new provisions of the IUU regulation entered into force. And I would like to start by recalling a little bit of background on IT Catch.
So you know that the IUU regulation is in force since 2008, so almost 30 years ago.
And since then, IT CATCH constitutes the most substantial revamp of the EU catch certification scheme through its compulsory digitalization and expansion of the data requirements for imports of fishery products. These changes, as you know, have been introduced in 2023 through the revised control regulation, which also amended the IUU regulation, and which has been adopted in co-decision by the Parliament and the Council. CATCH is our first ever EU-wide real-time system to harmonize border controls across the EU. And I don't think it's exaggerated to say that it is a real game changer in import controls and for our anti-IUU policy more generally. It will allow the EU to make better, to much better protect its market, preventing products from IUU fishing ending on the EU market and on consumers' plates.
And it will allow the EU to retain its global leadership in the fight against IUU fishing. Apart from that, IT CATCH reflects the Commission's genuine effort and commitment to drive digitalization as a means to further simplification. And to add, CATCH is also one of the flagships of the European Ocean Pact. So why did we introduce CATCH?
It is important to recall that CATCH responds to various and repeated calls from the European Parliament, requests from stakeholders and recommendations, strong recommendations of the European Court of Auditors, all of them calling on the Commission to strengthen its toolbox in the fight against IUU, including through digital catch certificates. And this is what we've done, and we are grateful for the strong support by this House, who has always put the fight against IUU on top of its priorities, both during previous mandates and during this mandate. So now coming to the present, where are we now, today? The new digital catch certificate started to apply on 10th of January this year and is compulsory for all imports of fishery products into the EU market. CATCH has thus been operational for more than six months, or only six months.
And during this period, more than 73,000 import declarations have been validated already through CATCH. Of course, it's clear it's a change to the previous system. A new wide system always implies a new way of working together and of sharing responsibility. And I would like to underline that the effectiveness of CATCH indeed depends very much on its responsible and full implementation by all EU importers and Member States' competent authorities.
And it is clear that as for any new IT system, CATCH has also presented some challenges in the initial period for all parties involved. We have to acknowledge this and we do acknowledge this. But we also acknowledge the significant adjustment effort deployed by national administration and operators, and most of the issues that have been raised at the beginning have actually been addressed or are being addressed. So I would like to explain briefly what the Commission is doing to address these challenges and to help operators and Member States. On the Commission side, we have deployed all efforts to assist Member States, third countries, and operators in this important transition.
So what do this mean, what does this mean in practice? The Commission continues to monitor closely the uptake of CATCH and to guide Member States in its harmonized implementation. Initial technical challenges with CATCH have been addressed and new functionalities in the IT system are progressively added to the application based on our collective experience. The Commission facilitates the implementation of CATCH and regularly adjusts CATCH based on user experience. Initial technical challenges with CATCH have been addressed and new functionalities and improvements are progressively added to the system.
And since the system went live in January this year, already nine new releases with significant improvements have already been deployed and new ones are in the pipeline. So just to say it's an ongoing process. In addition to substantial training material and guidelines available online, there are regular bilateral exchanges as well as with all Member States, such as the last IUU working group meeting that took place only recently in Brussels in June. And in addition, temporary flexibility arrangements have been put in place for new data fields in the CATCH certificate and for the use of special templates that were agreed in the past with seven non-EU countries. And this flexibility has now been extended until the end of November.
So talking about non-EU countries, which is also very important to explain, the Commission worked very hard over the past two years to familiarize non-EU countries with the amended IUU regulation. We have reinforced our outreach strategy to non-EU countries and have regular exchanges with individual countries, but we are also organizing physical trainings with the competent authority and regional on-the-spot workshops. Just to give a couple of examples.
Our priority is to promote the interoperability between CATCH and IT systems of non-EU countries or a direct use of CATCH where non-EU countries have no IT system in place. To date, interoperability has been established with six countries: Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands, New Zealand, Greenland, and the UK. And today, 40% of the import declarations concerning imports from the top 15 supplier countries are based on interoperability documents. This accounts for no less than 30% of all import declarations. Work on interoperability is ongoing with several other countries, while for direct use, eight countries have been granted access to CATCH and two more are considering to start using it soon, so it keeps it gets keeps pace.
So let me stress that all these efforts aim to facilitate the phase-in period of CATCH implementation and to progressively reduce the administrative burden for EU operators and authorities. And we are committed to make CATCH work and we are on the right track. So maybe also one word what Member States could do to support these efforts.
I said earlier that as an EU-wide system, a new EU-wide system always implies a new way of working together and a new way of sharing responsibility. So in terms of what Member States can do to ensure the level playing field among EU importers and to ensure the effectiveness of the system in protecting our market from IUU products, it is crucial that all Member States' competent authorities ensure that the mandatory use of CATCH by EU operators and ensure the proper checks of data submitted before authorizing the imports. This is really crucial in order to avoid knock-on effects for other EU importers and other Member State competent authorities. Verification requests and if necessary refusals need also to be done by Member States when data, which was requested since 2010 by the IUU regulation, are still not correctly provided by non-EU countries. To conclude, let me say that we believe that there are no real blocking points in CATCH that would make imports of fishery products impossible.
And I think this is an important message I would like to pass. This has been proven by those Member States that have already fully implemented the requirement for the compulsory use of CATCH. The first, let's call them teething challenges, have been addressed and are still being addressed.
And this in spite of the fact, I have to say, that resources available for this important objective remain limited compared to the size of the challenges. Moreover, CATCH has already proved itself as a game changer, with third country exports of fish stemming from IUU fishing being identified and blocked by Member States' authorities. CATCH introduces a new way of working together where responsibility is shared and each actor across the seafood chain, value chain, takes responsibility in the fight against IUU fishing and must contribute to make CATCH a success. And making CATCH a success is really a matter of living up to our reputation and of preserving the credibility of our strong IUU system. Thank you very much.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much for your presentation. Now I'll give the floor to Mrs. Kalniete. The floor is yours for two minutes, please.
Isabelle Le Callennec
Oui, merci Président. Merci pour ces précisions utiles sur le système CATCH qui est obligatoire pour toutes les importations et les exportations de produits de la pêche dans l'Union européenne depuis janvier dernier. C'est une avancée bienvenue pour la lutte contre la pêche illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée, en particulier pour les produits de la mer que nous importons, plus de 70 % de notre consommation. Mais sur le terrain, les entreprises de pêche et de mareyage font remonter encore plusieurs difficultés très concrètes. J'en citerai trois.
Tous les bateaux ne sont pas référencés dans CATCH, en particulier les petites unités de pêche qui n'adhèrent pas à une organisation de producteurs. Le résultat, c'est que certaines entreprises ne peuvent pas obtenir de certificat de capture, ce qui les prive de débouchés. Les lots issus de plusieurs navires. Lorsqu'un mareyeur recompose un lot à partir de captures de dizaines de bateaux, ce qui est la norme pour la pêche côtière, il doit aujourd'hui réunir autant de certificats individuels. La charge administrative devient disproportionnée et menace la valorisation de la petite pêche.
La plateforme CATCH aujourd'hui ne prend pas suffisamment en compte des flux complexes qui feraient intervenir plusieurs intermédiaires. Enfin, troisième point, la délégation de signature. Afin de simplifier les démarches administratives, les propriétaires des navires devraient pouvoir déléguer la signature du certificat à leur organisation de producteurs ou à leur mareyeur, notamment quand ils n'ont pas les ressources humaines pour le faire eux-mêmes. Cette fonctionnalité n'est toujours pas opérationnelle dans l'outil. Ma question s'adresse donc, ou mes questions, à la Commission.
Est-il prévu des mesures de simplification sur le recensement exhaustif des navires, le certificat unique pour un lot multinavire et la délégation de signature ? Je vous remercie de vos réponses. La réponse intéresse les acteurs et les États membres. Merci.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Merci beaucoup. And now I pass the floor to Mr. Rodriguez.
The floor is yours.
André Franqueira Rodrigues
Thank you, Chair. Começo por agradecer a apresentação da representante da Comissão. O combate à pesca ilegal, não declarada e não regulamentada é um objetivo que todos partilhamos e que esta Comissão das Pescas tem defendido sempre e com firmeza. Mas um bom objetivo não significa, por si só, bons resultados na execução e implementação das políticas desenhadas para o alcançar. E a verdade é que temos hoje Estados-Membros e operadores a denunciar falhas técnicas e jurídicas graves no CATCH system.
Temos relatos de pescadores, de importadores, bem como de operadores comerciais que se queixam que o sistema não está desenhado para corresponder à realidade operacional do setor e que, em várias ocasiões, leva a que produto altamente perecível fique parado nas docas por causa de um sistema informático mal preparado, conduzindo a desperdício e a perda de rendimentos. Por isso, uma pergunta impõe-se.
A Comissão reconhece estas dificuldades, tem monitorizado estas falhas e está disposta por isso a agir em conformidade e a prolongar ou flexibilizar o período de transição enquanto os problemas técnicos não estiverem resolvidos? Muito obrigado.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you, Mr. Rodrigues. Now I pass the floor to Mr. Millán Mon. The floor is yours, please.
Francisco José Millán Mon
Muchas gracias, señor presidente. La verdad es que yo recibo información contradictoria respecto del sistema CATCH. Por un lado escucho ahora a la señora Priese que bueno, que considera que después de alguna serie de dificultades iniciales inevitables, pues que en fin, que ahora los temas o los problemas han sido addressed, han sido abordados y que las cosas ya están funcionando bueno, bastante bien, aunque luego nos ha hablado de flexibilidad hasta noviembre. Luego voy a pasaré a ese punto. Por otro lado, esta es una versión, la de la Comisión, que en fin, que quizá tenía que haberla escuchado con más atención porque ha entrado en mucho detalle y no me ha sido tan fácil seguirla.
Pero por otro lado me llegan quejas del sector y también recientemente, estoy seguro de que lo sabe, pero es que este domingo el Financial Times, no es un periódico cualquiera, publicó un largo artículo sobre este asunto. Este sistema, como todos sabemos, entró en funcionamiento en enero, ya llevamos más de seis meses, como ya dijo, y yo quiero empezar diciendo que comparto plenamente el objetivo, desde luego, reforzar la trazabilidad y combatir la pesca ilegal y las importaciones ilegales. Pero el sector se sigue quejando. El sistema sigue generando dificultades, aunque en general reconocen que las cosas van mejor o menos mal. Pero buena parte del proceso continúa siendo manual, la información debe introducirse varias veces.
Es más, yo a la vista de las informaciones que recibía y de las quejas, por ejemplo en Galicia, presenté una pregunta parlamentaria por escrito a la Comisión sobre este tema. Según parece, el principal problema es la escasa incorporación de terceros países al sistema. La participación no ha aumentado básicamente, dicen, desde enero y que la mayoría de los certificados continúan llegando en papel o en PDF, la carga de la digitalización sigue recayendo en los importadores europeos, etcétera. Con esto incrementan costes, etcétera. Pero como digo, el propio Financial Times se hace eco del asunto, nos dice que, y yo entiendo que ahora nos lo confirma, que se ha aceptado un periodo de flexibilidad hasta noviembre para determinados productos procedentes de Estados Unidos o que esa flexibilidad, como dice el Financial Times, se ha extendido a muchos otros.
Aquí se dice textualmente Canadá, Noruega, Nueva Zelanda, Islandia, Feroe y Sudáfrica. Yo creo que ahí el Financial Times, yo creo que está equivocado. Entiendo que no, que esto es básicamente para Estados Unidos y para algunos. Porque en fin, si es que es Canadá, Noruega, etc., son países, sobre todo pienso en Noruega, etc., Islandia, no creo que tengamos un problema. Yo creo que con estos países con tanta tradición exportadora me sorprende que también haya problemas.
Pero no he entendido bien si efectivamente la flexibilidad que se le ha dado a Estados Unidos se amplía a estos países o no. Me pregunto, si hay problemas con Canadá, con Nueva Zelanda, con Islandia, con Noruega, ¿qué está pasando con China, Vietnam o Mauritania? Me lo pregunto simplemente porque estos otros son más cercanos, por lo menos en cuanto a digitalización. Noruega es el principal exportador. Por eso me gustaría que nos distinguiera otra vez, yo me he perdido un poco cómo está lo de los países.
Y luego y termino, hay una iniciativa en mi tierra, que es una empresa importante, Conxemar, una gran importadora, Vigo es el principal puerto de importaciones de pescado de Europa, que está haciendo un análisis precisamente sobre cómo está la introducción del e-Catch en cada uno de los terceros países. No sé si están en contacto con Conxemar o si convendría hacerlo. Pero yo creo que este es un tema donde todavía hay muchos pasos que dar y las cosas no están tan bien como parecen. Hay dificultades y por lo menos este artículo de Financial Times es un tanto alarmante. Gracias.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thanks so much, Mr. Millán Mon. Now I'll pass the floor to Mr. Bayadán. The floor is yours for two minutes.
Thomas Bajada
Thank you, and thank you to the Commission. I won't be very long. I think this is a very important tool to help us fight IUU fishing, but it can be a very good and important tool if it works very well for everyone. So my question is going to be very blunt and very easy. How is the uptake working with our neighbors in the Mediterranean, especially when it comes to third countries that are catching fish which we are sharing with them and then exporting them to the EU without correct verification of their status as IUU fishing or non-sustainable fishing?
Thank you.
Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Thank you so much. If there is no more interventions, I'll make one of my own and I'll speak in Portuguese. Agradecer a intervenção e a apresentação por parte da Comissão Europeia. De facto, a União Europeia importa mais de 80% do pescado consumido, cerca de 20% das capturas mundiais continuam associadas à pesca INN.
E como é óbvio, ninguém põe em causa a importância do instrumento, mas sim a questão de complexidade administrativa e o peso burocrático sobre os operadores e os nossos pescadores. E de facto, há aqui alguns aspetos que foram levantados e também num recente estudo intitulado Catching Practice, feito pela EU Cluster for Food Traceability and Trust Multidisciplinary Task Force, e que refere claramente alguns problemas. A falta de interoperabilidade entre o CATCH e os sistemas aduaneiros nacionais e os sistemas utilizados pelos países terceiros implica, em muitos casos, a continuação da utilização de inserção manual dos certificados. Isto obviamente aumenta a carga administrativa e o risco de erro. Segundo, a questão relativamente a que, por exemplo, esta inserção manual pode levar aqui a um atraso de 50 minutos por certificado.
Como deve calcular, no mundo dos negócios, isto é impensável e inaceitável. Terceiro, os problemas técnicos que têm a ver com erros de validação, falhas no sistema, limitações na base de dados e dificuldades de carregamento dos documentos.
Depois também lembrar que as principais organizações representativas do setor das pescas, Seafood Europe, Europêche, Cogeca e EAPO, alertaram numa declaração conjunta que, de facto, estas obrigações introduzidas pelo regime de controlo, nomeadamente o registo obrigatório de todas as capturas, incluindo quantidades de 0 kg, e a aplicação rigorosa das margens de tolerância, são na prática inexequíveis, sobretudo nas pescarias mistas e nas embarcações de menor dimensão. Depois também a questão da segurança jurídica dos operadores. Tivemos muitas queixas relacionadas com a informação que é solicitada poderá estar a ser demasiado invasiva daquilo que é o segredo comercial dos próprios operadores comerciais. Depois, e aqui já o deputado Millán Mon referiu, nós tivemos aqui notícia do Financial Times em que tivemos um navio dos Estados Unidos com cerca de 16 mil toneladas de escamudo do Alasca e outros produtos de pesca que ficaram retidos ao largo dos Países Baixos cerca de duas semanas à espera da validação da documentação. Depois também a ausência de um mecanismo de delegação que também já aqui foi referido.
E obviamente que também não deixamos de perceber aquilo que foi alertado pela Oceana de que de facto não é só a digitalização que garante controlos mais eficazes. E eu gostaria de questionar a Comissão duas questões muito concretas. Prevê a Comissão Europeia avançar com uma avaliação intercalar da aplicação do CATCH IT envolvendo todos os operadores que utilizam esta importante ferramenta? Que dimensão do trabalho é que está a ser feito com os países terceiros para evitar também aquilo que é o trabalho, uma vez que os produtos entram na União Europeia circulam livremente pelo mercado europeu, mas para evitar os fenómenos de control shopping e garantir que os operadores não escolhem pontos de entrada onde os controlos são menos rigorosos? E obviamente aquilo que é o apoio aos países terceiros para garantir uma correta utilização do CATCH IT.
Muito obrigado. And now I pass the floor to the Commission to reply to all of these questions. So Mrs. Prizing, the floor is yours.
Carmen Preising
Thank you very much, Chair. I will try to reply to your questions.
I'm here with my colleagues who are experts on the file who may complement with more technical details if necessary. I would first like to thank the speakers for acknowledging that progress is being made and for acknowledging that as every new IT system, there are challenges at the beginning. But I would also like to underline that from really the very regular and permanent contact we're having with Member States, with operators, we had a meeting with the Market Advisory Council very recently, and they all acknowledge that progress is being made. And I can be a bit more explicit also on the type of progress we're making. There have been a couple of interventions.
Madame Lecalennec, I was not entirely sure if you were referring to import or exports and there were also a couple of overlaps with the control regulation, so I will try to give you some feedback and some examples and you will let me know if this replied to your question or not. Just on the countries with whom we are working on more interoperability, maybe just to say that as I said, this is Morocco, Japan and Maldives are the most advanced ones, while for direct use, the eight countries that have been granted access to CATCH are Papua New Guinea, Uruguay, Mauritius, Venezuela, Egypt, Seychelles, Ukraine and Philippines, and two more are starting work very soon. So just I wanted to add this to the information I provided you in the first part.
Then also in terms of explaining a bit the kind of improvements we are doing while working with Member States experts since January. As I was saying, CATCH is undergoing continuous development through successive releases aimed at correcting identified issues and enhance its functionalities. So, for example, while planned improvements will include also some further flexibility for amendments, so corrections of data in CATCH, it will nevertheless remain of utmost importance that data from paper documents are correctly entered into CATCH by EU operators and that Member States authorities ensure that operators are aware of these requirements. We are also exploring the possibilities of using AI tools for automated uploading of data into CATCH and development of functionalities to enable Member States authorities to introduce automated alerts applicable at national level. These are just a couple of examples of what we are doing and what the improvements are, but I would like to spend a few seconds on a cluster of questions you have raised and which I think are related to the third countries with whom we had agreed records in the past, and I think it's worth to clarify a bit the situation.
So indeed, we have received requests to prolong the flexibility for all templates used by these countries with former administrative agreements, the so-called agreed record countries, in order to ease for the EU industry the import of certain species. And this was also reiterated by some organizations in the recent meeting of the Market Advisory Council to which I already referred. Just would like to recall that Member States and third countries' authorities were informed on various occasions and through different channels of the amendments of the IUU regulation almost two years before the application of the revised catch certificate templates and before the obligatory use of CATCH for EU importers and EU authorities kicked off in January this year. So in a way, we considered that these two years were sufficient time to allow everybody to prepare the industry and adapt for the initial application date of 10th of January. And in the way we are reacting to the different requests, I would like to stress the importance of two principles: the first is the non-discriminatory principle and the other one is flexibility.
So on the non-discriminatory principle, it is important that the rules are applied in a non-discriminatory manner towards all non-EU countries exporting to the EU.
The Commission therefore has no intentions of excluding certain fisheries, for example where catches are aggregated before processing, from providing the data required in the catch certificate. So non-discrimination, I think, is very important in this context. Derogations from the new catch certificate will be detrimental to the objectives of the IUU regulation. I think this has to be clear for everybody, because the new catch IT system and the new IUU regulation responds to requests for stronger level playing field. And to recall what I said in the introduction maybe, and to recall that it was the European Court of Auditors in 2022, and also this Parliament, and also the sector and Member States themselves who had called for this much-needed harmonization of import controls in our system.
The second principle, which is very important and which we do apply, is flexibility.
And this is refers a bit to the to the article the honorable member Millán Mon and and others cited. And I would like to say that the Commission has listened carefully to the EU industry, to the operators, including the Market Advisory Council, with whom we are meeting on regular and permanent basis and whom we are in close contact both at DG and at at Commissioner level. And who have drawn our attention to possible supply issues this summer and in early autumn, namely as regards particularly white salmon and Alaska lobster. So this is probably the the case you're referring to. And the Commission has therefore decided to prolong one final time the temporary flexibilities granted at the beginning of CATCH implementation to the US and to all the other six former agreed record countries.
This will allow submission into CATCH of their old templates up and including to 30th of November of this year. And to systematically level the playing field for EU operators through consistent use of CATCH, these flexibilities will end after 30th November 2026. So maybe just to wrap up and to to say one final word, we believe that CATCH is not the problem but the solution. And we already see now how member states are starting to cooperate in a different way than before, as they are dependent on each other and on what they accept in CATCH, and that influences the work of competent authorities in other member states.
And with the use of CATCH, the other authorities know who is not doing it properly, and this will inevitably harmonize the controls between Member States. So we appreciate that all the work is not tangible yet to the operators, as CATCH has only been in force for six months now, but CATCH is here to stay. And to make CATCH a success, we must continue to work hand in hand under the current legal framework, in the spirit of shared responsibility between the operators and competent authorities in Member States and non-EU countries and the Commission. And maybe on the questions on particular Member States or third countries, maybe I can ask my colleagues briefly to intervene and to give clarity.
Redner 29
Yes, sorry.
I just wanted to add that in relation to the flexibility on the agreed record, so even if the, you could say it's a non-discriminatory application, of course the countries who have already established their own interoperability with CATCH and are providing all the full information that is necessary, they are not going to reverse their systems back to not providing this information. But for the US and for Canada it might be helpful for these months, but it's also just an opportunity that everyone is treated the same way, so if Iceland would need to issue an old certificate or the Faroe Islands, they could also do that. So that is just to clarify the non-discrimination part.
Redner 30
And just to add that there is another segment of flexibility which applies to newly required data in the catch certificates. And this one has been given to all flag states. It's not only limited to agreed record countries, so that part applies to everyone and the deadline is the same as for the agreed record templates, which means up to and until 30th of November.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you. So if there is no further questions, I would like to thank the Commission and this is the closing of this point. Thank you. And then we will move on to point number eight on the agenda, which is the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025.
And this point is the consideration of the draft opinion of the budget of next year. And as you know, the European Parliament is the budgetary authority of the Union on an equal footing with the Council. It is involved in the budgetary process from the preparation stage, laying down the general guidelines and the type of spending. It adopts the budget and monitor its implementation. It gives a discharge on the implementation of the budget.
This is why this procedure is very relevant for our committee. Mr. Giuseppe Lupo is the rapporteur for the PECH opinion on the 2027 general budget. So I will now give the floor to Mr. Lupo to present his draft opinion. Mr. Lupo, the floor is yours.
Giuseppe Lupo
Grazie Presidente, colleghi. Come sappiamo la pesca, l'acquacoltura, la trasformazione dei prodotti ittici, la blue economy sono priorità strategiche per l'Unione Europea.
Settori importanti per la sicurezza alimentare, la tutela degli ecosistemi marini, per l'economia, la coesione sociale delle comunità costiere e insulari, per la sovranità alimentare dell'Europa. Secondo le stime della Commissione nel 2027 le linee di bilancio relative alla pesca ammonteranno complessivamente a circa un miliardo e 16 milioni di euro in stanziamenti di impegno con un incremento del 2,1% rispetto al 2026 e un miliardo 222 milioni di euro in stanziamenti di pagamento con un aumento del 10,7% rispetto all'anno precedente. Accogliamo quindi positivamente questi incrementi. Pensiamo tuttavia che le risorse debbano essere utilizzate in modo efficace per rispondere alle esigenze concrete del settore, alla raccolta dei dati scientifici, la tutela della biodiversità, la decarbonizzazione, il sostegno all'acquacoltura e alle comunità costiere e insulari. Chiediamo una semplificazione nell'accesso alle risorse del FEAMPA.
Troppo spesso purtroppo i pescatori, le piccole imprese, le organizzazioni di produttori incontrano procedure complesse che ostacolano l'utilizzo dei finanziamenti. Semplificare non significa ridurre i controlli, ma consentire alle risorse di arrivare ai beneficiari in tempi utili.
Particolare attenzione dovrebbe essere riservata a mio modo di vedere alla pesca costiera artigianale che continua a essere essenziale per la coesione economica e sociale delle comunità costiere e insulari europee. Allo stesso tempo dobbiamo investire per la sicurezza dei pescatori, per il ricambio generazionale attraverso la formazione, incentivi per l'avvio delle attività, strumenti che facilitino l'accesso dei giovani e delle donne alla pesca e all'acquacoltura. Infine chiediamo interventi rapidi, flessibili in caso di crisi climatiche, ambientali o di mercato. Il riscaldamento delle acque, l'inquinamento, la diffusione di specie aliene stanno già provocando, come sappiamo, gravi conseguenze soprattutto nel Mediterraneo, nelle nostre realtà insulari, penso in particolare alla Sicilia e alla Sardegna che conosco meglio. Il patto europeo per gli oceani, le strategie per le isole e le comunità costiere sono interessanti iniziative da parte della Commissione europea.
Pensiamo però che debbano essere accompagnate da risorse specifiche attraverso il pieno coinvolgimento dei pescatori, delle autorità locali e della comunità scientifica. Concludendo, questo sarà l'ultimo bilancio, come ben sappiamo, prima del prossimo quadro finanziario pluriennale 2028-2034. Come già noto, l'architettura di bilancio proposta dalla Commissione supera il FEAMPA e fa confluire le risorse destinate alla pesca e all'acquacoltura in un fondo unico e la cosa non ci soddisfa perché a nostro avviso non garantisce certezza e riconoscibilità delle risorse. Il Consiglio durante la presidenza cipriota ha portato la dotazione minima per la politica comune della pesca da 2 a 4 miliardi di euro, ma resta ancora una previsione distante dalla posizione del Parlamento europeo che chiede 7,3 miliardi. Servono risorse adeguate per questo settore strategico per la nostra economia, per la nostra sicurezza alimentare.
Auspico quindi che la prossima presidenza islandese possa accogliere la posizione del Parlamento.
Faccio i migliori auguri anche alla dottoressa Preising per il suo lavoro, che ringrazio, e sono certo che nonostante i tempi ristretti riusciremo a collaborare con gli altri relatori. Grazie.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you to the rapporteur, and I will now give the floor to the shadow rapporteurs and to any members that would like to speak. And we will start with Mr. Falcone and the EPP group.
Marco Falcone
Thank you, Chair. I am going to speak in Italian. Desidero anzitutto ringraziare il relatore, l'onorevole Giuseppe Lupo, per il lavoro svolto e per il testo presentato, che contiene certamente elementi di pregio condivisibili e per noi è sicuramente una buona base di partenza. Come gruppo del Partito Popolare Europeo, però, riteniamo che vi siano ancora alcuni aspetti da rafforzare attraverso la presentazione di alcuni emendamenti.
In particolare intendiamo porre maggiore enfasi alla competitività e alla resilienza del settore della pesca e dell'acquacoltura affinché la sostenibilità ambientale proceda sempre di pari passo con la sostenibilità economica e sociale delle nostre imprese. Riteniamo fondamentale valorizzare il ruolo strategico del FEAMPA, lo ha detto già il rapporteur, e del futuro quadro finanziario pluriennale nel sostenere investimenti, innovazione, la decarbonizzazione e il necessario rinnovo della flotta, semplificando al contempo l'accesso ai finanziamenti, soprattutto per le piccole e medie imprese e per la pesca artigianale. Vorremmo inoltre rafforzare il riferimento alla specificità del Mediterraneo, delle isole come la Sicilia, la Sardegna, lo ha detto bene il rapporteur, però anche le altre chiaramente, la specificità delle altre isole, Malta, Corsica, Cipro e così via. Queste isole affrontano a nostro avviso delle sfide particolari e necessitano quindi di strumenti e di risorse adeguate.
Allo stesso modo riteniamo essenziale ribadire il principio della reciprocità nei confronti delle importazioni e oggi ne abbiamo anche parlato affinché ai nostri operatori siano garantite condizioni di concorrenza realmente eque. Confidiamo quindi che nel prosieguo dei lavori vi sia un confronto costruttivo sui nostri emendamenti con l'obiettivo comune di adottare un testo ancora più equilibrato, incisivo, che sia capace di rispondere a tutte le esigenze del settore della pesca e dell'acquacoltura.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you. Then we will move on to ECR, Mr. Ruissen, who is not here, so I wonder if there is anyone who would like to speak on behalf of the ECR group. Doesn't seem to be anyone present, so then we would move on to Renew and the shadow rapporteur is Ms. Wiesner, but will be replaced by Mr. Christensen. Please.
Asger Christensen
Thank you and on Danish. Tak til ordføreren for hans udtalelse. Vi mener, at det er et rigtig godt grundlag.
Vi ser, at ordføreren har dækket mange af de vigtige budskaber, som vi bør sende fra det her udvalg. Budskaber som fiskeri og akvakulturens strategiske rolle, EMFF's vigtige rolle i at understøtte en bæredygtig udvikling af fiskeri og akvakultur og fokus på forskning og innovation, som er helt afgørende for at forbedre fiskeriforvaltningen og udvikle det til et endnu mere bæredygtigt fiskeri. I vores ændringsforslag vil vi understrege vigtigheden af at støtte small-scale fishery, samtidig med at vi ikke må glemme, at alle flådeelementer har brug for støtte til yderligere fremskridt for en mere bæredygtig fiskeri og mere CO2-venlige fangstmetoder. Vi vil understrege, at en bedre adgang til EU-finansiering, især for dem, der kommer fra de små segmenter og også fra SMV'erne i vores sektor. Vi ønsker yderligere at fremhæve vigtigheden af gode konkurrencevilkår, især for SMV'erne.
Endelig vil vi gerne udtrykke vores høje forventninger omkring det kommende Ocean Act og behovet for, at dette lovforslag anlægger en meget holistisk tilgang til havets ressourcer. Endnu en gang tak til ordføreren for et udkast til udtalelse, som vi ser frem til det fremtidige samarbejde, så vi kan stemme for et godt grundlag her efter sommerferien. Tak.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you. Then we move to the Green Group and the shadow rapporteur is Mr. Nordqvist, but he is replaced by Ms. Levine. Please, Isabella.
Isabella Lövin
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And thank you very much to the rapporteur for this draft report. On behalf of Rasmus Nordqvist, who is the shadow, I'd like to underline that we support many of the contents of this report, but we want to also reinforce certain elements. Of course, we want to see an economically and socially sustainable fisheries policy and sector, but the basis for that is in fact that we have a regenerative economy because our oceans are in fact overfished still, which they shouldn't be. So we need to turn this vicious circle around.
And we are proposing an amendment just to add the word regenerative and equitable blue economy that develops within planetary boundaries because this is really essential for a socially and economically sustainable and future-oriented sector. Then when it comes to modernization and or renewal of vessels, this is a tricky one because we have the WTO agreement saying that we should not contribute in any way with subsidies that contributes to overfishing and we still don't have the fleets in balance. So we have overcapacity with our fleets. So we are proposing an amendment saying under specific conditions linked to a just transition away from fossil fuels and from destructive fishing activities and limited to fleet segments that are in balance with available fishing opportunities. Just to specify that we tried to get that in previously also.
I think that's really important to be in line also with WTO rules.
When it comes to aquaculture, we also want to add low-carbon and low-trophic because this is also something that goes in the line of regenerative blue economy. And the deployment of propulsion systems for different fleet segments, we want to specify that they need to be low and zero emission propulsion systems, of course, because also the fishing sector needs to comply with our climate targets and it's important to underline that. And to get away from our dependency on fossil fuels, which is a big problem for the fishing sector, as you all know. So those are the amendments and we hope that we can work together with all the other groups to have a good final text. Thank you.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you. The Left has no speaker, so then I open up for other members who wish to take the floor and I have Luka Lenek on the speaker's list, please.
Isabelle Le Callennec
Oui, merci Madame la Présidente. Merci à notre rapporteur. Selon les estimations de la Commission pour 2027, le soutien financier à la pêche est en augmentation par rapport à 2026. Cela signifie que les fonds sont bien consommés, à savoir le FEAMPA, les accords de partenariat pêche durable, les organisations régionales et l'Agence européenne de contrôle.
Ce soutien est en augmentation d'environ 2,1 % en crédits d'engagement et 10,7 % pour les crédits de paiement. Pour être en contact régulier avec des porteurs de projets qui sollicitent le FEAMPA ou d'autres fonds européens, j'insisterais auprès de la Commission pour qu'elle simplifie, qu'elle rationalise et qu'elle facilite l'accès au financement, en particulier pour les PME, les pêcheurs artisanaux, les producteurs aquacoles et les organisations de producteurs. J'ai en tête un exemple très concret, soumis actuellement par une association de pêcheurs de ma région, la Bretagne, l'association Pêche Avenir Cap-Sizun, qui sollicite des fonds européens, et j'ai regardé le dossier. J'espère que l'ensemble des conditions exigées pour être éligible à ces fonds ne pénaliseront pas leur projet qui va tout à fait dans le sens d'une pêche durable et d'une gouvernance partagée. L'avis de notre collègue insiste sur l'importance des données scientifiques, y compris des données sociales, environnementales et économiques liées à la mer pour renforcer la gestion des pêches durables.
Nous rencontrons les uns et les autres régulièrement des scientifiques.
J'étais personnellement vendredi dernier à Brest avec des scientifiques de l'Ifremer que vous connaissez, une institution française reconnue en Europe et dans le monde. Ils m'ont alerté sur la nécessité de continuer à investir dans la collecte, le suivi, l'analyse des données avec une flotte océanique renouvelée et des technologies adaptées au changement climatique. Enfin, et je l'ai rappelé tout à l'heure à la présidence irlandaise, il est urgent d'évaluer le FEAMPA, ne serait-ce que pour faire évoluer les règles en faveur du renouvellement de la flotte de pêche et des engins appelés à être plus innovants et plus sélectifs. C'est aujourd'hui une urgence absolue. On ne peut pas se plaindre de l'impact du dérèglement climatique et ne pas aider la profession à supporter financièrement la transition nécessaire, d'où aussi notre insistance pour que la pêche bénéficie d'un budget 2028-2034 à la hauteur.
J'ai une question simple au représentant de la Commission : quand disposerons-nous de l'évaluation du FEAMPA ? Je vous remercie.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you. I see no other members asking for the floor, so I will ask the Commission if you would like to comment and take the floor. So I give the word to Carmen Preising from DG MARE and you have the floor for two minutes. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Chair.
First of all, I would like to thank the honorable member Mr. Lupo for the draft opinion, which I understand you will now collect the amendments to it and then adopt it in the in the committee. Just to give a little bit of of context before I'm coming to the very concrete question of Madame Le Calennec. Just recall that the budget we are talking about here, 2027, is the last year of the MFF. It's not the last spending year, but the last year of the financing period. And also to recall that the midterm revision of the MFF has led to substantial cuts in commitment appropriations over the period 2025-2027.
And to recall that actually the budget for 2027, the amount available for commitments is by 36 million lower than we had it in the original MFF planning, so due to the midterm review, just to put into context. But 2027 will not be the last spending year, of course, due to the N+3 rule, we will still be able to spend money until until 2030. So in terms of spending, we are not at the end, but rather halfway.
And maybe also to give you the information and to confirm what some members also said, that in terms of implementation, the EMFAF for the period 2021-2027 is broadly on track, with all national programs adopted and implementation advancing across shared, direct, and indirect management. Commitments are well advanced, while payments and actual expenditure remain at a more moderate level, but which is perfectly normal for this stage in the cycle. Absorption is progressing. For shared management, the implementation rate is at an average of 13% total of net payments, which is slightly better than the, for example, the ERDF or the European Social Fund. But also to mention that absorption remains very uneven across Member States, for example, an implementation rate of 36% for Austria, 20% for Germany, Latvia, and Sweden currently, and only 1.5%, for example, in Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary.
Also briefly to mention that the previous fund, the EMFF for 2014-2020, the programs have now reached a closure. So therefore no payment appropriations are requested for the EMFF programs in 2026, just as an addition of information. Coming to the very concrete question of Madame Lecalennec on the evaluation or the review of the EMFAF regulation.
Carmen Preising
So as you know, we have launched a call for evidence in view of a possible targeted amendment of the EMFAF regulation to take into account specifically experience gained in the implementation phase so far and feedback we have received from Member States and stakeholders. The call for evidence was launched on the 23rd of June and is still open until the 21st of July. And it aims to collect input for a possible amendment of the EMFAF regulation to make it notably more accessible, flexible and easier to implement for Member States so that it can support more effectively policy areas mentioned also in your priorities, Mr. Lupo, like small-scale fisheries and generational renewal and the energy transition. And of course also to mention in addition, there is also the need to introduce certain changes to the EMFAF regulation to ensure the full implementation with the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies. So a targeted amendment should increase flexibility for Member States and reduce the burden on beneficiaries so that they can make better use of the EMFAF opportunities for the remaining period of the programming period.
I will not go into detail of all the priorities you have raised for funding priorities. You raise many topics from aquaculture, coastal communities, data collection, energy transition, etc.
Just because this part moves already into the discussions on the next financial framework, I would just like to end by recalling that the proposal for the new MFF 2028-2034 as proposed by the Commission and of which the general structure has been preserved in the partial general approaches of the Council, aims at making the budget notably more integrated, flexible and impactful and to fully tap into the potential of synergies across funds. And I think this is particularly important for many of the policy priorities you have mentioned also in your opinion, notably energy transition, generational renewal and aquaculture, which would particularly be able to benefit from these increased synergies. And finally, a more flexible budget will also allow the Union to act fast when circumstances change, so in moments of crisis. And this is also something you stress in your opinion, the need to ensure quick funding when faced with climate, environmental or market crisis. Thank you very much.
Isabelle Le Callennec
Oui. Thank you, Madam Chair. Juste une question. Vous avez évoqué le taux de mise en œuvre du FEAMPA et vous avez cité quelques exemples et quelques pays.
Vous n'avez pas cité la France. Très égoïstement, est-ce que je peux vous demander si vous avez le taux de mise en œuvre du FEAMPA pour la France, qui n'a pas gagné, comme chacun sait, hier soir au football, mais qui, j'espère, consomme correctement les fonds.
Carmen Preising
So, in terms of reimbursement from the EU budget, France is at 14.2%.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you, and then we will move back to the rapporteur, Mr. Lupo, to conclude this debate, please.
Giuseppe Lupo
Sì, grazie Presidente, grazie colleghi. Ho ascoltato con attenzione, ho anche preso nota delle osservazioni fatte dai relatori degli altri gruppi, anche dai colleghi che sono intervenuti, e ringrazio l'onorevole Falcone, ha sottolineato alcuni aspetti pienamente condivisibili rispetto all'esigenza di coniugare la sostenibilità economica, sociale, ambientale col tema della competitività, in particolare con riferimento all'acquacoltura, all'innovazione, al rinnovo delle flotte, aspetti che sono stati sottolineati anche da altri colleghi, come l'onorevole Christensen, con riferimento, appunto, ai temi dell'innovazione, degli investimenti, il ruolo strategico della pesca e dell'acquacoltura, aspetti...
E ringrazio anche l'onorevole Leven e anche il collega Nordkvist per il lavoro fatto, le proposte. Attendiamo di conoscere questo emendamento che ci è stato annunciato che riguarderà appunto l'economia rigenerativa, molto interessante. E certamente dobbiamo favorire il rinnovo della flotta anche in termini tecnologici. Proprio con l'onorevole Leven siamo stati alle Azzorre, abbiamo visto ad esempio che anche poter disporre a bordo di tecnologia, di innovazione, di sonar può migliorare anche la selettività della pesca, quindi può anche migliorare l'impatto in termini ambientali. Certo tutto questo richiede anche risorse che devono essere messe a disposizione dei nostri pescatori utilizzando bene i fondi dell'Unione Europea.
La decarbonizzazione certamente è un obiettivo irrinunciabile. Anche l'onorevole Kayenek ha sottolineato alcuni aspetti molto importanti con riferimento alla necessità di procedere sempre al rafforzamento dell'approccio scientifico, l'osservazione, la raccolta dei dati, la possibilità di svolgere un'analisi attenta dei dati per osservare e comprendere a fondo quali sono i cambiamenti che interessano i nostri oceani. Anche la direttrice della DG MARE ha aggiunto alcuni aspetti estremamente interessanti. Ecco, probabilmente, e in questo mi rivolgo alla presidenza, sarebbe davvero interessante comprendere qual è stata l'attuazione, a che punto siamo con l'attuazione del FEAMPA 21-27 per i diversi Stati membri. Penso che questo potrebbe darci anche un contributo in vista del nuovo QFP 28-34.
Ringrazio tutti per l'importante lavoro svolto e sono certo che potremo collaborare per raggiungere il miglior risultato possibile. Grazie.
Jessica Polfjärd
Thank you to Mr. Lupo. So the deadline for amendments for the opinion for 16th of July 2026 at 12:00.
And the deadline for budgetary amendments 24th of August at 12:00. And then I would like to remind you that we will vote on an opinion on the 1st of September 2026 in order to be able to respect the very tight timetable that the Budget Committee has. So this item is closed and this will end this part of today's committee meeting. So I would like to wish you all a very nice summer. Thank you.
Stellen Sie eine Frage zu diesem Video – ich analysiere das Transkript, um Ihnen zu antworten.