Commission proposes a revision of EU tools to address unsustainable fishing practices by non-EU countries on fish stocks of common interest

Today, the Commission proposed a revision of the EU tools designed to address unsustainable fishing practices by non-EU countries on fish stocks of common interest. This revision will make the current tools more effective and reinforce the good governance and sustainability of our ocean.

The Commission’s proposal is to amend Regulation (EU) 1026/2012 to clarify the conditions needed to identify a country allowing non-sustainable fishing practices on fish stocks of common interest. Countries identified as such can ultimately be sanctioned by EU restrictive measures, including import bans.

This mechanism aims to address the long-term sustainability of shared fish stocks in a non-discriminatory manner. It helps tackle overfishing, which poses a severe threat to marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and to the livelihoods of coastal communities. It also aims at ensuring fair competition between operators in the EU and in non-EU countries.

The proposed changes aim to strengthen the regulation by providing clearer guidelines for triggering restrictive measures. This will ensure that non-EU countries are aware of the specific conditions under which their fishing practices may lead to EU sanctions.

Next steps

The proposal has been transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council, who will now discuss it under the ordinary legislative procedure.

Background

Regulation (EU) 1026/2012 allows the Commission to adopt restrictive measures against non-EU countries allowing non-sustainable fishing, ensuring the long-term conservation of fish stocks of common interest to the Union and non-EU countries.

These measures can include identifying a country as allowing non-sustainable fishing and imposing quantitative restrictions on imports of fish from the stock of common interest caught under the control of that country, and on imports of fishery products made of or containing such fish.

The objective of the proposal is to improve the clarity and legal certainty of the current legislation in line with EU international obligations.

More information

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing