I am glad that President-elect Von der Leyen has asked Environment and Oceans Commissioner-designate Virginijus Sinkevičius to go full ahead with the implementation of the discards ban and continue the fight against IUU.
Over the last 5 years, Europe has led the world on IUU, promoting positive governance change throughout the world.
Yet, Member States, Member States and the Commission have forgotten about the fully enforcing (or partially) the discards ban. A re-commitment to deliver on Europe’s legal commitments is welcome.
The Mission letter is here.
- You will focus on the full implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy, including the landing obligation and multiannual management plans.
- Effective control and enforcement and respecting the maximum sustainable yield
objective will remain top priorities.
You should evaluate the Common Fisheries Policy by 2022 to identify how to
address issues not sufficiently covered in the current policy, such as the social
dimension, climate adaptation and clean oceans.
Drawing on the potential of sustainable seafood as a low-carbon food source and
the potential of the aquaculture sector, I want you contribute to the ‘Farm to Fork’
strategy on sustainable food.
Europe must also lead the way on international ocean governance and play a
prominent role in discussions in the United Nations, notably at the UN Ocean
Conference in Lisbon in 2020, as well as in other regional and international forums.
We must also take a zero-tolerance approach to illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing, supporting others in improving their methods but being
prepared to use all of the tools at our disposal, including a ban on fisheries imports
as a last resort.
You will work with the Commissioner for Trade to ensure that Europe leads
discussions in the World Trade Organization on finding a global agreement to ban
fisheries subsidies that contribute to overfishing, illegal fishing and overcapacity.
Europe’s blue economy plays a crucial role in supporting coastal communities and in
decarbonising our economy. To harness its full potential, I want you to develop a
new approach for a sustainable blue economy. This should bring together
everything from marine knowledge and research to maritime spatial planning,
marine renewable energy, blue investment and regional maritime cooperation.