European Parliament asks for a far-reaching revision of the COM in fisheries products

The Members of the European Parliament calledl on the Commission to submit a proposal for the revision of the common organisation of the market (COM) in fisheries products.

They emphasised that the contribution of the COM to the sector had fallen, especially since the 2000 revision. The reversal of this trend, notably by a significant reinforcement of financial resources, must be "one of the main objectives of a future revision of the COM in fisheries products", thus enabling it to guarantee Community funding at an adequate level for the fisheries sector's needs.

Average prices at the initial point of sale have stagnated or fallen since 2000, but this has not been reflected in meaningful fashion in a reduction in prices for the end-consumers of fresh fish. Those prices have, rather, been constantly rising, notes the report.

The existing system of initial sales of fish in lots, as practised in most Member States, tends especially to penalise the producers, "who may end up with one-tenth of the gains of the end distributors", states the paper.

Production and marketing

The EP called on the Commission to determine whether the existing intervention mechanisms are the most suitable ones and whether they are sufficiently "flexible" to meet the needs of the existing structures of production/marketing in the Member States, with the aim of improving the marketing of fish and ensuring a fair income for producers.

The operational programmes should ensure - with suitable financial support - the possibility of the producers' organisations marketing their products directly, as a means of enhancing the value of their production, MEPs said.

The House supported the initiative of introducing a code of conduct for fisheries products in the EU, which would cover all participants in the sector, with the aim of defining "voluntary rules in order to ensure a fairer sharing of value added and marketing rules along the value chain".

Tuna and sardines

According to MEPs, the compensatory payment for tuna should be extended. They also called on the Commission to introduce a compensatory payment for sardines.

Labelling and ecological certification

The EP stresses the importance of labelling and of accurate consumer information, with a view to boosting the quality and value added of fisheries products: "commercial designations, notably for imported products, need to be examined and checked with all care to ensure that consumers are not misled".

The Commission should accelerate the process of ecological certification of fishery products, since "this is vital if competition between economic agents within and outside the EU is to take place on a sound and equitable footing", adds the report.

Imports

The EP highlighted the "current dependence on imports for consumer needs", at a time when the Community's production is in free fall while world production continues to rise, and the existence of a "food deficit" as far as fish proteins are concerned.

MEPs called on the Commission "to take a firmer line" in its evaluation of external trade relations, especially when activating the WTO safeguard mechanisms, adding that "it is vital to ensure the application to imported fisheries products sold on the internal market of the same rules and requirements as those applied to Community fisheries products", e.g. in terms of labelling, phytosanitary rules or the prohibition of fisheries products under the minimum sizes authorised for Community products.

The COM in fisheries products was the first element of the common fisheries policy (CFP) to be created, in 1970, and has since become one of its four pillars, together with structural policy, the preservation of fishery resources and relations with third countries.