Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2014)136 - EU position in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2014)136 - EU position in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2014)136  |
| date | 10-03-2014 |
The European Union as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece; Italy, Malta, Romania, Slovenia and Spain are Contracting Parties to the Agreement establishing the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). The GFCM is responsible for the conservation and management of fisheries resources in the Mediterranean. The European Union became a contracting party to GFCM in 1998.
Pursuant to Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the position to be adopted on behalf of the Union in RFMOs such as when they are called upon to adopt acts having legal effects, with the exception of acts supplementing or amending their institutional framework, must be adopted by Council Decision, on a proposal from the Commission.
Such position within the RFMO is currently established according to a two tier approach. A Council Decision sets out the guiding principles and orientations of the Union's position on a multiannual basis, whereas it is thereafter adjusted for each annual meeting by Commission non-papers to be discussed in the Council Working Party.
As regards the GFCM, Council Decision 7265/09 of 19 March 2009, provides for a review of the Union's position before the 2014 annual meeting. Therefore, this proposal aims at setting out the Union's position within GFCM for the period 2014-2019 and thereby replacing Council Decision 7265/09 of 19 March 2009 which is covering the period 2009-2014.
This revision aims at incorporating the principles and orientations of the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) as laid down in Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council[1], taking also into account the objectives of the Commission Communication on the external dimension of the CFP[2]. Moreover, the Union's position has been adjusted to the Lisbon Treaty. At last, the position has been aligned to the extent possible taking into account the specificities of the different RFMOs.
As it is the case for the current positions, the following 'negotiating mandate' contains principles and orientations. In addition, the standard process for the year to year specification of the Union position has been incorporated as requested by Member States for positions aligned more recently.
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The external dimension of the CFP was part of the impact assessment for the CFP reform proposals. The principles and orientations agreed for the new CFP are simply being transposed into the revised positions.
The following Decision is based on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(2), in conjunction with Article 218(9) which provides that the Council, on a proposal from the Commission shall adopt a decision establishing the positions to be adopted on the Union's behalf in a body set up by an agreement, when that body is called upon to adopt acts having legal effects. This shall apply to the position to be adopted by the Commission, on behalf of the Union, in the GFCM.
Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council[3] is the legal basis setting up the principles to be reflected in this negotiating mandate.
The following Decision shall replace Council Decision 7265/09 which is covering the period 2009-2014, and shall cover the period 2014-2019.