Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-11-21-Speech-3-523-000"
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"en.20121121.31.3-523-000"2
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"Mr President, as the rapporteur on the international dimension of the common fisheries policy reform, I am quite proud today to say that ‘we have actually done it’!
In the almost unanimous vote in the Committee on Fisheries, colleagues supported, and to a large extent improved, my draft report, so that it now clearly sets out the future principles for the EU external fishing fleet and how it can be sustainable in all its activities. It shows how the EU can become a leader by setting an example of responsible behaviour by a long-distance fishing nation, worldwide.
What we have achieved is quite remarkable. We reached a consensus that the EU should negotiate a fisheries agreement only where there is a clearly and scientifically proven surplus of fish that is not needed by local fishermen or people in the region. Of course, the fish stocks must also be in good condition. We agreed that the same rules – for instance, on discarding fish – should apply to EU vessels whether they are operating inside or outside the Union. We also agreed to introduce a human rights clause into fisheries agreements so that, if there is a serious violation of human rights in a third country, the protocols shall be suspended. We stated the need to decouple access fees from the money for so-called sectoral support in a clear way, so that poor countries should not be tempted to sell more fish in order to get more development aid.
Widespread support was also shown for the concept of regional agreements. The EU should not use its strength to negotiate agreements with countries in developing parts of the world one by one, but rather should encourage regional cooperation, which would lead to better management of fishery resources and transparency on total catches. We also recognise that the EU and its Member States have responsibilities in relation to the many private operators owned by EU interests, but often flying other flags, that are fishing all over the world. The committee also recognised our heavy responsibility as the greatest fish consumer market in the world, importing and eating 11 % of all the world’s catches in terms of volume.
I do not want to hide the fact that there is some controversial content in the report and that the biggest group in Parliament is still trying to get these things out of tomorrow’s vote – the anti-flag hopping clause, for example, the exclusivity clause and the statement that vessel owners should pay a considerable market-based share of the access fees.
I regret this and I really hope that those – even in the PPE Group – who want to see the EU leading by example on issues relating to environmental sustainability, fair trade and respect for human rights, will not try to delete the paragraphs in question. One paragraph that I would like to emphasise is paragraph 7, which is about greater coordination inside the Commission and among Member States. That is really necessary if we are to achieve policy coherence on development, in accordance with Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. We cannot have the EU negotiating a fisheries agreement and using development aid and trade agreements as a means of pressure to push through access to fishing grounds in developing countries.
I believe we have a great report here that can not only change the impact of the EU on the world’s oceans, but could also change how all distance-fishing nations behave. If we can show that the EU is willing to change, poor countries will have an easier time stipulating conditions for other distance-fishing nations. With this report we have started a race to the top in terms of good standards.
I want to thank all the shadow rapporteurs, the assistants and advisers who helped with the report. We have the promise here of a great success."@en1
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