At the time of going to press, the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament had each taken a stance on the proposed regulations for a new common fisheries policy (CFP). Though this is merely the first step in a lengthy negotiation process, it already points towards the direction the future policy might take: EU Member States and MEPs alike backed many of the ideas and principles that the Commission had tabled and which make up the essence of this reform.

They endorsed the fundamental principles of conservation and sustainable management, so much so that fishing sustainably and banning discards are likely to be the major priorities over the next few years; everybody seems to want more and better long-term plans that respect the ecosystem and extend to whole fisheries rather than single stocks. This ‘greener’ approach to fishing would not be micro-managed at EU level: only general principles and targets would be defined centrally, while Member States would develop concrete ways to meet those targets on their own – and they would do so in a region-specific way, building on their own traditions and know-how, and in cooperation with industry and other interested parties. Advisory Councils, including a new one for aquaculture, will be pivotal to this policy-making process.

The only element of the Commission’s proposal that did not get through was the one that advocated a system of transferable fishing concessions for quota and fleet management. This means that alternative fleet adjustment mechanisms will have to be negotiated if we are to redress the ever-important balance between the fleet and the available natural resources.

In the next few months, Council and Parliament will be negotiating with each other, with the Commission acting as mediator.

Among the unknowns, the division of responsibilities on setting harvesting frameworks in long-term plans and the two institutions’ respective stance on the proposal for the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, which is key to making the reform work.

On the basis of the European Commission’s proposals, the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission will try to work out an agreement as early as possible in 2013, so that the new policy can come into force no later than 2014.The new policy is expected to come into force no later than 2014.

Much like the CFP proposal, the EMFF proposal is currently working its way through the legislative process so as to enter into force on 1 January 2014. The EMFF will replace the European Fisheries Fund, which expires on 31 December 2013. (Article’s Source)