The EU presidency of the latter half of the year, which traditionally adopts the annual decisions on fishing total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas, will be even busier this year as regards legislation, as the French EU Presidency wants to anticipate a certain number of decisions in order to facilitate end-of-year discussions. Added to the pressure on this Presidency are the angry demonstrations by fishermen faced with soaring fuel prices.

Even if Paris does not intend to table measures to aid the fisheries sector strictly speaking – a sensitive issue on which member states do not see eye to eye – it will not be able to dodge a debate on the question, particularly since the European Commission will have presented, in principle in early July, a package of proposals aimed to help the sector. Presented in the form of ‘options’, on 17 June (see Europolitics3554), it should lead to a political debate in the Fisheries Council, on 24 June, which will serve as a basis for the EU executive to formalise its proposals.

LIGHTENING UP THE DECEMBER COUNCIL

Agreeing on TACs, by 31 December, is an absolute obligation and this year there will be four regulations to adopt. The first, a general regulation, concerns TACs and quotas.The second covers deep-water species. Since it is valid for two years, it is adopted during years ending in an even number. The last two regulations are on Baltic and North Sea TACs.

While December’s ‘TACs and quotas Council’ has been maintained, Paris hopes to adopt before then certain other regulations that will have a direct impact on TACs, with the aim of making this difficult exercise a little easier. These include the revision of the North Sea cod recovery plan, with its effort management chapter. If there is agreement on the general parameters of fishing effort at the time of revision, the discussion on fishing effort in December will be greatly facilitated. By the same token, for the regulation on technical measures (gear characteristics, mesh size, net length, non-fishing days), Paris hopes to secure an agreement before December.

Michel Barnier, minister for agriculture and fisheries, has set the goal of addressing the sector’s concerns from the angle of visibility, under a multiannual approach, and giving greater account to stakeholders’ observations for assessing the state of fish resources. This work is expected to focus on three areas:

1. Anticipating the TACs and quotas exercise, by beginning earlier than in past years. See above for TACs for deep-water species, the Baltic and the North Sea, which could be addressed at the October Council.

2. Following on from what is being done with the Common Agricultural Policy, the French EU Presidency is expected to launch a ‘health check’ of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which was reformed in 2002 (Regulation EC 2371/2002). Paris considers it normal to conduct a mid-term review of this reform, to identify the points that are not working satisfactorily and see how they can be improved. The Commission will table a ‘non-paper’ identifying the issues, which will be debated at the informal ministerial meeting in late September.

3. Dialogue between professionals and scientists. The Presidency, in cooperation with the European Parliament and the Commission, will organise an event at which the different parties concerned will be able to compare views and analyse methods and arrangements that would allow fishermen’s observations to be taken into account when scientists issue their advice. This event could take place around 8-9 September. The subject will also be discussed at the informal Council.

MEMORANDUM ON AQUACULTURE

The Presidency is highlighting several other key issues, particularly the development of European aquaculture. Paris has asked the Commission to present its communication on a strategy for the development of aquaculture early enough to allow the presidency to organise a policy debate. It intends to submit a memorandum on aquaculture to the Council before the summer and hopes it will be useful as the Commission draws up its communication. That text is due out at the end of the year, but Paris would like to have it in time to start the debate at the November Council.

REVISION OF FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT

Another hot issue, even if the Presidency is aware that it will not be able to make great strides given the timeframe, is the revision of the Community framework for fisheries enforcement. The Commission will not be presenting a proposal before the end of October, so Paris will be able to do little more than launch the debate.

The French EU Presidency has made plans to debate in Council the evaluation of the decision on the regional advisory councils, based on a Commission report, and to organise an airing of views on the Commission’s communication on an ecosystem approach to the CFP and a communication – announced by the Commission – on the management of fishing fleet capacities.

EXTERNAL ASPECT OF CFP

The second half of the year is also the period during which the EU discusses common management of fishing zones with Norway. This very important negotiation traditionally is brought to conclusion in late November, but the Presidency would like to address it in Council in October.

Agreeing on TACs, by 31 December, is an absolute obligation and this year there will be four regulations to adopt