Legislative Observatory
European Parliament
Please fill in this field to find a procedure

Agreement between the EU and Norway on reciprocal access to fishing in the Skagerrak for vessels flying the flag of Denmark, Norway and Sweden

2016/2229(INI)

The European Parliament adopted by 670 votes to 28, with 7 abstentions, a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway on reciprocal access to fishing in the Skagerrak for vessels flying the flag of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Parliament already adopted a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision at its 14 December 2016 plenary session.

Members recalled that the Agreement upholds the historical fishing rights of fishermen from Denmark, Norway and Sweden in the Kattegat and Skagerrak without prejudice to the rights of fishermen from other states, while also ensuring that suitable measures are taken for fisheries management and conservation in these waters.

The Agreement also supports the implementation of the reformed system for fisheries management in the EU put in place in line with the aims and basic principles of the new common fisheries policy (CFP), in particular the introduction of the landing obligation and compulsory measures to maintain stocks above sustainable fisheries limits.

Parliament called on the Commission to:

  • forward the minutes and conclusions of any consultations held in accordance with the Agreement;
  • submit to Parliament and the Council, within the last year of application of the agreement and before the opening of negotiations for its renewal, a full report on its implementation.

Parliament called on the Commission and the Council to keep it immediately and fully informed at all stages of the procedures related to the agreement and its renewal.

The resolution stressed that access to the internal market for any third country must build on reciprocity and that the task of the Commission is to ensure that custom duties on food and fisheries products from the EU are not set in a way contrary to the principles of free trade in the area of food products, including fisheries products.