Transposing international measures for Atlantic tuna fisheries into EU law

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Series Details January 2018
Publication Date January 2018
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‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings aim to provide Members of the European Parliament with systematic and automatic analysis on all substantial proposals for EU legislation at every stage of the legislative procedure. Each contains an account of the purpose, content and legal aspects of the legislation proposed, in particular analysing what the legislation would change, as well as any previous legislation and the background. An overview of stakeholders’ views is also provided, as well as the opinions of national parliaments and the two advisory committees.

They are all made publicly available for stakeholders and the public.On 17 June 2016, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a regulation to cover the conservation of tuna and tuna-like species as well as the management and control of fisheries targeting these stocks in the Atlantic Ocean (including adjacent seas such as the Mediterranean).

This proposal aimed to transpose into European Union (EU) law a number of binding recommendations adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), some dating back to 2008. As a contracting party to this regional fisheries management organisation, the European Union prepares and participates in the adoption of these recommendations. To become applicable, notably to operators such as the masters of fishing vessels, these measures must be enacted in EU law. The European Commission is also proposing that future ICCAT recommendations for some fisheries management measures should become part of EU law through delegated acts.

The European Parliament and Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 concerning the conservation of tuna and tuna-like species, and the management of fisheries targeting these stocks in the Atlantic Ocean (including adjacent seas such as the Mediterranean). The new regulation, which entered into force on 3 December 2017, transposed into EU law a number of binding recommendations adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), a regional fisheries management organisation to which the EU is a contracting party. These measures needed to be enacted in EU law to become applicable, notably to operators such as the masters of fishing vessels.

When adopting its legislative resolution, the EP also voted on a statement to express its concern at the Commission’s delay in proposing to implement ICCAT recommendations (some dating back to 2008), and urged it to send future proposals for transposition of RFMOs' recommendations within six months of the date of their adoption.

Author: Jean Weissenberger (1st ed) and Irina Popescu (2nd edition)

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/614672/EPRS_BRI(2018)614672_EN.pdf
Related Links
EP: EPRS: Briefing: EU Legislation in Progress http://epthinktank.eu/eu-legislation-in-progress/
EP: EPRS: Briefing: EU Legislation in Progress, January 2016: Transposing international measures for Atlantic tuna fisheries into EU law http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/593523/EPRS_BRI(2016)593523_EN.pdf
EUR.Lex: COM (2016)401: Follow the progress of this legislative proposal http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=CELEX:52016PC0401&qid=1516783289401
EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2017/2107... of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32017R2107

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