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Press release
Fisheries: more stable financial framework for Regional Advisory Councils
Fisheries - 26-04-2007 - 12:36
Plenary sessions
Plenary sessions
Parliament approved on Thursday a proposal to put Regional Advisory Councils for fisheries on a sounder operational basis by improving their funding conditions. The EP stresses that the current proposal relates only to the financial aspects of RACs and that other aspects - in particular the number and composition of RACs - remain to be resolved during the forthcoming review.
The Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) were established as a result of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, adopted in 2002. Council Decision 2004/585/EC defines a general framework for the functioning of the RACs to ensure a consistent and balanced approach amongst them. The possibility of granting Community financial aid to RACs is one of the aspects included in this Decision.
The purpose of the Commission proposal amending Decision 2004/585/EC is to put RACs on a sounder operational basis by improving the conditions under which they are funded. This is to be effected by mainstreaming them into the budget, meaning that the Community contribution no longer needs to be a degressive one and that they are subject to a single method of accounting, rather than two separate procedures as at present.
RACs: bodies pursuing an aim of European general interest
Defining RACs as "bodies pursuing an aim of European general interest" would provide them with a stable financial framework enhancing their capacity to operate effectively. Furthermore, experience has shown that the existing RACs have difficulties with the current decreasing financial framework which, according to the Commission, will seriously hinder their ability to meet their objectives in the near future. The new financial modalities will simplify the management of the grants by merging the current two grants into a single grant for each RAC.
Council Decision 2004/585/EC needs to be amended accordingly by declaring RACs as bodies pursuing an aim of European general interest, with the result that RACs would receive a fixed financial contribution from the Community budget.
RACs aim at involving stakeholders at an early stage in the decision-making process of the Common Fisheries Policy. Stakeholders' involvement is an essential pillar of the CFP reform and is key for its successful implementation.
Currently, four of the seven intended RACs are fully operational, with others likely to come on-stream in the near future. Moreover, an Inter-RAC Committee has been established to coordinate their activities. Recommendations and advice have been given to the Commission on more than 80 occasions and the RACs have also made a valuable contribution to the deliberations of the EP’s Fisheries Committee.
The proposal does not affect any other aspect of the RAC's composition and workings, which will form the subject of a review to be published later this year.
Parliament's report was drafted under the consultation procedure by Elspeth ATTWOOLL (ALDE, UK).
REF.: 20070420IPR05698