Conservation of fishery resources through technical measures: alignment of the Regulation with the TFEU (Commission delegated and implementing powers)

The European Parliament adopted by 564 votes to 15, against 12 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 concerning the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms.

The European Parliament’s position at first reading, following the ordinary legislative procedure, amends the Commission’s proposal.

Parliament considers that more detailed precisions for the delegation of powers are needed. In order to enable certain provisions of this Regulation to be updated efficiently to reflect technical and scientific progress, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of acts excluding specific fisheries of a Member State, in ICES sub-areas VIII, IX and X, from the application of certain provisions for gillnets, entangling nets and trammel nets, with a very low level of shark by-catches and of discards.

Moreover, Members:

• propose to limit the delegation of powers conferred on the Commission to 3 years (renewable) from the date of entry into force of the Regulation. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power and have a regular evaluation and questioning of the use of the delegation;
• call on the Commission to carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, especially at expert level, in order to obtain objective, rigorous, complete and up-to-date information.