Building a bridge between you and the EU

The European Commission Representation in Ireland is part of a network of representative offices throughout the Member States of the European Union. It is the Commission’s voice in Ireland, and aims to communicate EU affairs at national and local level. 

Inshore Ireland asked the Dublin Office about its role specifically relating to fisheries, aquaculture and maritime affairs:

The Commission’s role is framed by the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). It proposes legislation at EC level; manages EC funds earmarked under the CFP, and monitors the application of EC law. In some specific cases, the Commission also adopts detailed technical rules.

 The Commission has started a review of the CFP to make it more efficient in ensuring the economic viability of the European fleets; conserving fish stocks; integrating with maritime policy and providing good quality food to consumers. The review will be based on an analysis of the achievements and shortcomings of the current policy, and will look at experiences from other fisheries management systems to identify potential avenues for future action.

The consultation with stakeholders and the public began on April 22 and will last until the end of the year with a view to adoption for a reform in 2012.

The consultation process launching the reform covers all aspects of the Common Fisheries Policy and is open to all EU citizens. Visit
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/reform

User’s guide and fact sheets on the CFP: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/publications/pcp2008_en.pdf

Aquaculture
On April 8 2009, the Commission adopted an Aquaculture Strategy, which will give the sector new impetus as a source of healthy and nutritious food for Europe’s growing and ever more demanding consumer market.

The Strategy sets out three main practical objectives:

• To help fish farming become more competitive by continuing to support research (nearly €100m has already been invested) and by ensuring that in the planning process across Member States, the sector gains the access it needs to land and water
• To ensure sustainable growth by encouraging green production methods and by ensuring high animal health and welfare standards
• To improve the sector’s image by ensuring a level playing field, reducing red tape and communicating with the public

The Union produces about 10% of demand at around 1.3m tonnes; South East Asia and Latin America provides about half of all the fish consumed in the Union. The EU accounts for just 2% of world aquaculture production and imports into Europe continue to rise.

Fish farming across Europe has an annual value of almost €3bn and the sector employs some 65,000 people. The annual demand for seafood across the Union is roughly 12 million tonnes with France, Spain, Italy, the UK and Greece being the major players.

Ireland produces about 60,000 tonnes annually – mostly mussels oysters and salmon – valued at about €100m per annum to the Irish economy. The EU believes there is room for growth in the sector, and it can bring wider benefits to coastal areas.

Further information on the Aquaculture Strategy at:
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/aquaculture_processing_en.htm

Seafood industry

(II): Regarding innovation, quality and building on Ireland’s provenance in the Irish seafood industry, what role does/can the Commission play to ensure Irish seafood can compete in Europe?

The Commission is interested in ensuring fair competition across the European market. Community rules provide free access to the Community market and is the largest fish market in the world, with no duties, no quantitative restrictions and common health rules

The common market organisation rules for fish (Regulation 104/2000) allows certain derogations for producers from competition rules.

Producer Organisations (POs) are a fundamental feature of the market organisation in fishery products. POs are composed of fishermen or fish farmers associating freely in order to ensure that fishing is conducted on rational lines and work to ensure conditions of sale are improved. This can be achieved via catch plans; concentration of supply; stable prices and sustainable fishing. Community start-up aid is available for the first three years of operation of approved POs.

Community rules on freedom of investment give Irish operators the right of investment in fish handling and processing operations in other Member States.

For information on EU rules applicable to the Irish food promotion agencies go to: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getAllAnswers.do?reference=E-2008-6771&language=EN

Legislation

What about governance – what should the primary producers and second/tertiary processors be aware of? How do they find out about new legislation and/or schemes that might be available?

The creation of Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) was one of the pillars
of the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in response to the EU and stakeholders’ desire to increase the latter’s participation in the CFP process.

The RACs prepare recommendations and suggestions on fisheries aspects in the area they cover and then they transmit them to the Commission or to the relevant national authorities. Submissions may be in response to a request from these bodies or on the RACs own initiative.

The RACs represent the fisheries sector and other groups affected by the CFP while scientists are invited to participate at meeting level. The Commission and regional/national representatives of Member States may attend as observers. (The North Western Waters RAC has been operational since 2005 and BIM in Dublin runs its secretariat).

The Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) provides information on new developments at Community level. The Aquaculture Working Group is chaired by Richie Flynn, IFA Aquaculture.

Further information from: The Commission’s website on fisheries

(http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/index_en.htm) contains all relevant information about new EC programmes and legislation on fisheries. More detailed information about the relevant Irish legislation can be obtained from BIM.

Maritime Affairs

The European Commission has presented a comprehensive ten year strategy plan to promote safe, secure, clean and efficient shipping. Long-term competitiveness of European shipping and related maritime industries in world markets, and the adaptation of the entire seaborne transport system to the challenges of the 21st century are at the heart of this strategy plan.

“The financial crisis and its impact on the maritime transport sector demands decisive action,” according to Antonio Tajan Vice-President responsible for transport policy of the EU Commission.

“We need to look ahead and to provide answers to the many challenges we face today, from keeping EU seamanship capacities, combating piracy and reducing the environmental impact of shipping”, he added.

The proposed strategic options are built on an all-inclusive approach based on the new European Integrated Maritime Policy, and reflect the core principles of sustainable development, economic growth and open markets in fair competition and high environmental and social standards.

Increasing globalised trade connections and developments in world trade, energy markets, climate change concerns or security threats, all underpin the importance of seaborne transport. With over 80% of world trade being carried by sea, maritime transport remains the backbone of international trade.

For the EU, the world’s most important exporter and the second biggest importer, shipping and related services are essential in helping European companies to compete globally.

The European shipping industry is also one of Europe’s largest export industries. It provides transport services between Europe and the rest of the world and between third countries. In Europe, short-sea shipping carries 40% of intra-European freight in ton-kilometres. With more than 400 million passengers passing through European ports annually, maritime transport also has a direct impact on the quality of life of European citizens (both as tourists and as inhabitants of islands and peripheral regions).

Further details from: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/maritime/policy/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/maritime/studies/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/index_en.html

Direct line to the European Commission
Functions include:
• Providing information on European affairs to the media and the general public

• Providing the public with free access to information about the Commission and the European Union via the public information centre, through publications, multimedia facilities and educational visits. Information officers are on hand to deal with specific queries. The Representation also has a panel of experts available to speak at conferences and seminars nationwide

• Providing a Eurojus Consultant (solicitor: Siobhan Duffy) who advises on citizens’ rights in the European Union

• Distributing a weekly electronic newsletter with news of recent developments at EU level and an agenda of upcoming events.

• Supporting a countrywide network of EU information providers in local libraries, business information centres and universities.
http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/contact_us/the_eu_near_you/europe_direct_centres/index_en.htm

• Gathering information and keeping the Commission in Brussels informed of various political, social and economic developments in Ireland.
• The Representation also engages public consultation on various ideas that the Commission is developing. This includes the current Consultation on reform of the Common Fisheries Policy that can be accessed at: http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/about_the_eu/making_yourself_heard/consultations/index_en.htm

For Further information on the European Commission Representation in Ireland:

Logon to:www.euireland.ie ;

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01-6341111

Or write to:
European Commission Representation to Ireland
European Union House
18 Dawson Street
Dublin 2