Photo: Europäische Kommis...
The CFP and the decision-making process in the field of fisheries policy
The European Union is regulating by means of the Common Fisheries Policy fisheries to the benefit of fishermen and consumers.
The European Commission is the initiator of the EU, which means it works out legislative proposals (Regulations, Directives) or political strategies (action plans, communications).The proposals of the Commission are forwarded to the EU Parliament with the request for comments and are discussed at several levels of the EU Council:
1. Council Working Party (CFP “Internal / External Fisheries Policy”) where the national government officials
discuss the technical details of the proposals:
2. Permanent Representatives Committee (Comité des représentants permanents, Coreper). The
ambassadors of the Member States (or their “permanent representatives”) are meeting once a week;
they prepare the meetings of the Council of Ministers.
3. The Council of the European Union “Agriculture/Fisheries” of the competent Ministers (Council of
Ministers) convenes once per month and takes political decisions.
For the decision-taking the EC Treaty stipulates for the most part a qualified majority... The Presidency (one EU Member State for half a year) plays a very active role in the organisation of the works of the Council. It gives important impulses for the legislative and political decisions and acts as a mediator between the Member States by means of assisting them in the preparation of compromise solutions.
In the fulfilment of its tasks the Presidency is supported by the General-Secretariat of the Council, which prepares the Council meetings and ensures a proper work flow at all levels.
More information at the homepage of the EU
The measures of the EU concern in this context basically 4 fields:
Fish stock conservation:
Protection of fisheries resources by means of the definition of fish quantities which may be taken from the sea °°° /so-called TACs: Total Allowable Catches –
Measures which guarantee the survival of a sufficient quantity of fish in reproductive age
Controls to ensure that these measures are also complied with
Structural measures:
Fisheries and aquaculture are supported in adapting their organisational structures and equipment to the conditions resulting from scarce resources and the market situation. Austria, too, receives EU funds, so far from the FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance, see topic subsidies), or, in future, from the follow-up institution EFF (European Fisheries Fund).
Markets:
Maintenance of a common market organisation for fisheries products and adaptation of supply and demand to the benefit of producers and consumers
Conclusion of fisheries agreements, so-called fisheries protocols, with third countries
Negotiations at international level within the framework of regional and international fisheries organisations on common fish stock conservation measures in the field of deep sea fisheries.
14.10.2009, Lebensministerium III/2