EU strengthens measures to combat unsustainable fishing by third countries

The Council of the EU has reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament to strengthen measures against unsustainable fishing by third countries on shared fish stocks . This agreement aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of marine resources and protect the interests of European fishermen.

“Today's agreement provides us with stronger tools to tackle unsustainable fishing practices authorised by third countries and encourage responsible fishing. Our message is clear: we are determined to safeguard the long-term sustainability of shared fish stocks and protect European fishermen from unfair competition,” said Jacek Czerniak , Polish State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The new regulation expands the EU's powers to act against states that do not cooperate in the sustainable management of shared fish stocks , i.e. those schools of fish that migrate between EU waters and third countries. By virtue of this, if a third country authorizes its fleet to overfish or refuses to cooperate with Brussels, the EU will be able to activate restrictive measures : from targeted trade sanctions to suspending access to the European single market for certain fish products.

In concrete terms, the agreement has established the notion of “non-cooperation” and provides a list of examples of non-cooperative behaviour such as: refusal to participate in consultations or refusal to allow the countries concerned to participate in consultations. The regulation can also be applied to those who fail to adopt, implement or enforce the necessary measures, including control measures; and to those who fail to take into account the rights, interests and duties of other countries and the EU.

Once the Commission has notified a third State of its intention to take retaliatory measures in the event of non-cooperation, that country will have 90 days to respond or change its behavior . However, a multilateral safeguard is maintained: if the stock in question is under the jurisdiction of a Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO), that organization will have priority in managing the dispute.

With this step, the EU not only defends its marine resources but also reaffirms its ability to influence global supply chains according to environmental and social responsibility criteria in the fisheries sector, a note reads.

The agreement will now have to be formally approved by the Council and Parliament before becoming law.