European Council greenlights new rules to tackle non-sustainable fishing by third countries

The European Council has formally adopted a new set of updated rules to better tackle non-sustainable fishing practices allowed by non-EU countries concerning stocks of common interest. The amended regulation will be enacted 20 days after publication in the EU official journal.

The regulation aims to safeguard the long-term sustainability of shared fish stocks while also ensuring fair competition for European fishers and protecting EU fishing interests.

Clearer rules and enforcement

The revised regulation clarifies the rules for identifying countries that allow non-sustainable fishing practices, thus improving legal clarity. Non-EU countries will now better understand the circumstances under which their actions could lead to EU penalties, including import bans or restrictions on fish and fishery products.

In particular, the updated regulation clarifies the notion of ‘failure to cooperate’ and provides a list of examples of non-cooperative behavior.

Improved cooperation

The regulation also fosters cooperation with non-EU countries before and after the EU takes action to address non-sustainable fishing practices.

It ensures a continued dialogue with the third country and bilateral and multilateral cooperation, aiming to ensure that the government ceases to allow non-sustainable fishing. In line with the new rules, third countries will have 90 days to reply to a notification on the Commission’s intention to identify them as non-cooperative.

Last week, a multilateral agreement under the World Trade Organization, aimed at phasing out harmful fisheries subsidies and enhancing the sustainability of marine resources, entered into force.

Similarly, new welfare standard pledges were launched to curtail fish and crustacean cruelties in seafood supply chains.

The MSWS was developed in cooperation with eight leading animal protection NGOs working on seafood welfare in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

It was hailed as “a common-sense policy” for sustainable sourcing. It complements corporate policies on other animal welfare issues pertinent to the food industry, such as cage-free eggs, crate-free pork, and Better Chicken Commitment poultry.