The European Parliament,

–   having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 of 17 December 1999 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products(1),

-   having regard to the Commission's report to the Council and the European Parliament of 29 September 2006 on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 (COM(2006)0558),

–   having regard to its resolution of 19 June 1998 on the Commission Communication to the Council and the European Parliament on the future for the market in fisheries products in the European Union: responsibility, partnership and competitiveness(2),

–   having regard to its resolution of 19 June 1998 on the fish product canning industry and aquaculture in the European Union(3),

–   having regard to its position of 2 December 1999 on the proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products(4),

–   having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2002 on the fish processing industry(5),

-   having regard to the Commission Communication to the Council and the European Parliament of 9 March 2006 on improving the economic situation in the fishing industry (COM(2006)0103),

-   having regard to its resolution of 28 September 2006 on improving the economic situation in the fishing industry(6),

-   having regard to the working document of the Committee on Fisheries of 5 June 2007(7) on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A6-0467/2007),

A.   reaffirming the strategic importance of the fisheries sector for the socio-economic situation, for regular supplies of fish and for the food balance of a number of Member States and the EU itself; recalling the crucial contribution made by the fisheries sector to economic and social cohesion by boosting the development of coastal communities and preserving and creating economic activity and jobs both upstream and downstream, especially in less-favoured regions and communities, as well as to the preservation of local cultural traditions,

B.   whereas the common organisation of the market (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,

C.   whereas the COM in fisheries products has undergone two major revisions, the first in 1981 - reducing withdrawals and introducing aids for carry-over - and the second in 2000 - significantly discouraging withdrawals and reinforcing the role of the producers' organisations in production management and market intervention,

D.   whereas the key objectives - still not achieved - of the COM in fisheries and aquaculture products are to ensure stable markets for fisheries products and to secure a fair income for producers,

E.   whereas the COM in fisheries products must provide a response for a market characterised by major structural disparities in marketing, distribution and processing, prices and consumer habits,

F.   whereas 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 earnings of the end distributors,

G.   whereas the COM in fisheries products has established a series of market intervention mechanisms for price support and the regulation of fish supplies, the aim being to promote the concentration of supply through support for the creation of producers' organisations, whose role in market intervention has been strengthened even though the measure has not been accompanied by the financial support needed,

H.   whereas the bilateral trade agreements and the introduction of a system for trade with third countries for the purposes of supplying the European Union's fish processing industry have resulted in the Community preference being called into question and in increased competitive pressure affecting Community products, with direct consequences for incomes in the sector,

I.   whereas the instruments of the COM in fisheries products have been progressively altered, losing importance by contrast with others of the CFP's pillars and priorities, such as the conservation of fish stocks and the reduction of the fishing effort, which has become one of the CFP's main objectives,

J.   whereas the COM in fisheries products has not contributed sufficiently to raising prices at the initial point of sale or to improving the distribution of value added along the value chain in the fisheries sector, where, in addition to the established big distributors, the supermarkets active in distribution are playing an increasingly important role,

K.   whereas the process of price formation at the initial point of sale of fish has prevented the fluctuations in production cost factors from impacting on fish prices,

L.   whereas 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, and those prices have, rather, been constantly rising,

M.   whereas, according to the EAGGF implementation report, actual expenditure from 1974 to 2005 totalled just under EUR 550 000 000, giving an annual average of EUR 17 000 000, in other words a more than modest budget for the fulfilment of the objectives laid down in Article 33 of the EC Treaty,

N.   whereas in conclusion 5 of its above-mentioned report of 29 September 2006, the Commission recognises the difficulty of reconciling the new priorities of the COM in fisheries products with its objectives - such as the guarantee of earnings referred to in Article 33 of the Treaty - stressing, in particular, that 'market prices have not followed trends in production costs',

O.   whereas in its above-mentioned resolution of 28 September 2006, Parliament concluded that the opportunities in the existing COM in fisheries products for improving competitiveness have not been sufficiently exploited,

P.   whereas in its above-mentioned position of 2 December 1999, Parliament proposed more favourable conditions for the implementation of the market intervention mechanisms, especially as regards withdrawals and financial support for the producers' organisations, but its proposals were not taken up by the Council,

Q.   whereas the industry is now exhibiting a growing reliance on imports, to the detriment of internal production,

R.   having regard to the existence of a food deficit as far as fish proteins are concerned and to 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,

S.   whereas the Commission has already acknowledged that products have entered the Community market which do not respect the minimum sizes laid down in the European Union, notably on account of the failure to implement the marketing rules for frozen products,

T.   whereas in its abovementioned Communication of 9 March 2006, the Commission stresses the need for Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 to be revised,

U.   whereas in its abovementioned resolution of 28 September 2006, Parliament advocates the revision, as a matter of urgency, of the COM in fisheries products, with a view to boosting its contribution to ensuring higher prices at the initial point of sale and improving the distribution of value added in the sector,

1.  Welcomes the Commission's decision to undertake an in-depth evaluation of the existing COM in fisheries and aquaculture products, but regrets the delay of almost a year in submitting the evaluation report, in view of the provisions of Article 41 of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000;

2.  Believes that it is necessary, as a matter of urgency, to carry out a far-reaching revision of the COM in fisheries products in order to boost its contribution to guaranteeing earnings in the sector, ensuring market stability, improving the marketing of fisheries products and increasing the value added generated;

3.  Calls on the Commission to submit, as soon as possible, a communication on the guidelines and a proposal for the revision of the COM in fisheries products, taking account of the proposals set out in this resolution;

4.  Stresses the need to involve the main economic agents in the sector, especially fishermen and their representative organisations, in the process of revision of the COM in fisheries products, especially during the present evaluation period;

5.  Emphasises that the contribution of the COM in fisheries products to the sector has fallen, especially since the 2000 revision; believes that 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 in order to fulfil the objectives laid down in the Treaty;

6.  Notes that the existing intervention mechanisms are characterised by a high level of concentration, and calls on the Commission to determine whether these 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, in order to improve the marketing of fish and ensure a fair income for producers;

7.  Calls on the Commission, in this connection, to determine whether the products included in the various annexes to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000, especially as regards carry-overs and independent withdrawals, are the most appropriate and whether the list should not be amended and enlarged;

8.  Believes that the compensatory payment for tuna should be extended, and recalls the proposals to this effect made in its above-mentioned resolution of 19 June 1998 on the fish product canning industry and aquaculture in the European Union; calls on the Commission to introduce a compensatory payment for sardines, as proposed in paragraph 14(b) of that resolution;

9.  Stresses the importance of labelling and of accurate consumer information, with a view to boosting the quality and value added of fisheries products; believes that commercial designations, notably for imported products, need to be very carefully examined and checked to avoid consumers being misled;

10.  Calls on the Commission to speed up the process of ecological certification of fishery products, since this is vital to ensure fair and healthy competition between economic agents both within and outside the European Union;

11.  Stresses the need for the Structural Funds to contribute to the modernisation and creation of support infrastructures for producers in the context of production/marketing, covering units for refrigeration, processing, transport and marketing/distribution;

12.  Emphasises that the intervention mechanisms must take account of the high perishability of fisheries products;

13.  Calls for greater support for the improvement of the on-board handling of fish, especially investment in refrigeration and packaging systems and the improvement of on-board health and safety;

14.  Stresses the need to preserve and reinforce the mechanisms and means of support, especially financial, for promoting the concentration of supply, notably via genuine support for the creation and funding of producers' organisations, and above all for small-scale coastal and traditional fisheries, as recognised under Regulation (EC) No 104/2000;

15.  Believes that 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 and boosting the value added of fisheries products; calls, therefore, for the amendment of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000, as proposed in its above-mentioned position of 2 December 1999;

16.  Reaffirms the need to maintain the direct link of aid to the producers' organisations in the Community budget, while also opening up the possibility of complementary aids in support of the operational programmes on the part of the Member States, as proposed in its above-mentioned position of 2 December 1999; calls for Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 to be amended to this effect;

17.  Considers it necessary to carry out a study of the causes of the failure of the option of creating inter-professional organisations introduced in the 2000 revision of the COM in fisheries products, and as referred to in conclusion 4 of the Commission's above-mentioned report of 29 September 2006;

18.  Supports the initiative of introducing a code of conduct governing trade in fisheries products in the European Union 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;

19.  Stresses the importance of creating markets of origin and of traditional products of particular quality, to be backed up by fairs, small businesses and the catering industry, as a means of boosting the value added of local products and promoting local development;

20.  Recommends that the Commission evaluate the consequences of relations with third countries, and notably the impact of imports on prices at the initial point of sale; calls on the Commission to take a firmer line in its evaluation of external trade relations, especially when activating the WTO safeguard mechanisms referred to in Article 30 of Regulation (EC) 104/2000, so as not to jeopardise the objectives of Article 33 of the Treaty;

21.  Believes that it is vital to apply to imported fisheries products sold and marketed on the internal market the same rules and requirements as those applied to Community fisheries products, e.g. in terms of labelling, hygiene and health rules or the prohibition on the entry onto the Community market of fisheries products below the minimum sizes authorised for Community products;

22.  Believes it essential to provide increased funding for the COM in fishery products in the forthcoming revision;

23.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 17, 21.1.2000, p. 22. (2) OJ C 210, 6.7.1998, p. 292. (3) OJ C 210, 6.7.1998, p. 295. (4) OJ C 194, 11.7.2000, p. 87. (5) OJ C 47 E, 27.2.2003, p. 601. (6) OJ C 306 E, 15.12.2006, p. 417. (7) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/organes/pech/pech_20070627_0900.htm.