Aquaculture: use of alien and locally absent species

The European Parliament adopted by 638 votes to 16, with 11 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 708/2007 concerning the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly known as the codecision procedure). The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of a compromise reached between the European Parliament and the Council. They amend the Commission’s proposal as follows:

Legal basis: the appropriate legal basis is Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) only.

Delegated acts: the Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in order to adapt Annexes I, II and III to technical and scientific progress, to amend Annex IV in order to add species to that Annex and to adopt specifications of the conditions necessary for adding species to Annex IV.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted by the Commission by means of implementing acts in accordance with Article 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. According to that Article, rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for the control by Member States of the Commission's exercise of its implementing powers shall be laid down in advance by a regulation adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure. Pending the adoption of that new regulation, Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 (comitology) laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission continues to apply, with the exception of the regulatory procedure with scrutiny, which is not applicable.