The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Acting, Luis Planas, has highlighted in the Advisory Council on Fisheries Policy the work developed in the last two semesters by the Member States on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for the period 2021-2027.
Planas has also informed the content of the recent communication from the European Commission about the fishing possibilities for the year 2020.
Regarding the EMFF, he stressed that the work carried out by the Spanish delegation during these last months has allowed the commitment document that the Romanian Presidency will present to the next Council of Fisheries Ministers of the European Union, on Tuesday, June 18 in Luxembourg, include many of the Spanish priorities.
In this negotiation, Spain has had an active role, seeking support with other Member States with common interests, which have resulted in the signing of a document together with France and Italy to strengthen the EMFF, which was presented at the Council last month. of April.
Among the Spanish priorities included in the improvements introduced by the Presidency text, the flexibility introduced in the limit of funding of the compensation grants for the Ultraperipheral Regions (ORs) stands out. It has also been possible to introduce in the text an exception to the prohibition of individual increase of capacity of a ship due to safety and working conditions on board, and energy efficiency.
For the minister, this text establishes a good basis for financing the new programming period, given that it supports the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy and at the same time does not undermine the leadership role that the European Union exercises within the framework of the agencies. international
For his part, the minister reported on the communication from the Commission to the Council on the fishing possibilities, marking the beginning of the institutional procedure within the European Union for the adoption of the so-called TACs and quotas of 2020, decision of exclusive competence of the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the Union.
In its communication, known last Friday, the Commission makes a reflection on the progress of the Common Fisheries Policy and its application, both from the point of view of the analysis of the situation of the different fishing grounds and their main populations, and from the point of normative view. It includes the progress made to reach the objective of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) in recent years, although it still calls attention to the compromised situation regarding the 'stocks' of the Mediterranean.
The Commission recalls that 2019 is a very special year, which will be deeply marked by how the Brexit, something that will have a decisive influence on the exercise of fixing the TACs and quotas for 2020.
This communication is the beginning of a long institutional process, until its adoption at a political level in the corresponding Councils of Fisheries Ministers.