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Poniedziałek, 11 kwietnia 2016 r. - Strasburg

25. Zewnętrzny wymiar WPRyb, w tym umowy w sprawie połowów (krótka prezentacja)

Puhemies. – Esityslistalla on seuraavana Linnéa Engströmin kalatalousvaliokunnan puolesta laatima mietintö yhteisistä säännöistä YKP:n ulkoisen ulottuvuuden soveltamiseksi, kalastussopimukset mukaan lukien (2015/2091(INI)) (A8-0052/2016).

  Linnéa Engström, rapporteur.– Madam President, I would like to thank the shadow rapporteurs for their excellent cooperation in this report. A special thanks also to the Long-Distance Advisory Council, which was very timely in organising a conference in Las Palmas on the issue so that we could take their input into account in the drafting of the report.

I am very happy that we all share the ambition of promoting sustainable fishing, keeping fish stocks above levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield, not only inside the EU waters but also outside the EU. Historically there have been very good reasons to be critical of fisheries agreements – they used to be very unsustainable. The great achievement of the new common fisheries policy is the inclusion of rules on fishing activities outside of the EU.

The EU is now bound to respect human rights and only fish from surplus stocks. The transparency provisions in the new protocol on Mauritania that will soon be voted on at Parliament should work as a guideline, and I want to thank the Commission here. I know that the negotiations with Mauritania were very hard, and the Commission should be praised for doing a great job. Now we need to make sure that the conditions are met, and we will follow proceedings very closely to make sure that Mauritania lives up to its commitments and publishes all its agreements with other states and private companies.

There are many good ambitions that we share in this report – the establishment of regulatory framework for joint ventures, for instance. Since the CFP is to be a vehicle to provide technical, scientific and financial assistance to third countries, the EU must promote the harmonisation of conditions of access to African waters for all foreign fleets. The regional management of fisheries should be encouraged, including control programmes, and the network of fisheries agreements is to be used to ensure that other distant fishing fleets also respect the same standards of sustainability. The EU should encourage third countries to develop a regulatory framework for joint ventures from the EU and other interests as the best way of ensuring that such joint ventures are sustainable and transparent.

Over party lines, I am happy that the European Parliament shares the objective of using the influence of the EU on the international stage in order to improve fisheries management and transparency standards. The EU should encourage a race to the top, instead of a race to the bottom, in international fisheries. I hope that we can cooperate in the same great spirit on the Commission’s new proposal on the Fishing Authorisation Regulation, for which I am rapporteur. We will start at the next Strasbourg part-session, as I understand.

Pyynnöstä myönnettävät puheenvuorot

  Gabriel Mato (PPE). – Señora Presidenta, lo primero que quisiera hacer es felicitar a la ponente, que ha sido capaz de compatibilizar el nacimiento de su bebé con la elaboración de este buen informe.

La dimensión exterior de la política pesquera común es un ámbito de importancia fundamental para Europa, dada la insuficiencia de recursos pesqueros en las aguas comunitarias. Los acuerdos que cerramos con terceros países suponen, y esa es una parte que ahora queremos reforzar especialmente, un beneficio no solo económico sino también social para los habitantes de esas zonas y para el desarrollo de su propia industria pesquera.

Además, su papel es fundamental a la hora de crear empleo, tanto en la Unión Europea como en los países en cuyos caladeros actuamos. La Unión Europea ha logrado en los últimos años mejorar de forma muy significativa la calidad de los acuerdos pesqueros, y podemos presumir de que las flotas pesqueras europeas son las que cumplen unos estándares sociales y ambientales más altos a nivel mundial.

Debemos, en todo caso, avanzar en la línea de cerrar convenios pesqueros más transparentes y sostenibles y tenemos que asegurarnos de que cumplen unas condiciones mínimas tanto para esos países en los que va a trabajar nuestra flota como para nuestros pescadores.

  Ricardo Serrão Santos (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, Senhor Comissário, antes de mais eu quero felicitar a relatora, a deputada Linnéa Engström. A formação de um documento de trabalho preliminar e a permanente abertura a sugestões dos diferentes relatores-sombra pareceu-me uma forma particularmente adequada de elaborar relatórios de iniciativa do Parlamento. Este é um documento importante, como já referiu e subscrevo o que disse o colega Gabriel Mato, mas, no entanto, acho que peca apenas pela falta de reconhecimento de que a biodiversidade marinha está sob pressão, estando as pescas entre as ameaças mais imediatas. Tenho pena que isto não tivesse ficado no articulado. Pela positiva haveria muitos aspetos a destacar, e são esses que me levarão a votar positivamente este documento do qual fui relator-sombra pelos Socialistas e Democratas. Entre eles parece-me particularmente importante a menção a um registo único para as embarcações que circulem nas águas internacionais. É preciso terminar com as permanentes alterações de bandeira, esse expediente tão utilizado pelos armadores prevaricadores.

  Νότης Μαριάς ( ECR).– Κυρία Πρόεδρε, οι συγκρούσεις που προκαλούνται στον τομέα της αλιείας δεν έχουν πλέον εθνοτικά χαρακτηριστικά, καθότι αυτοί που συγκρούονται είναι οι φτωχοποιημένοι, από την οικονομική κρίση και τις φορομπηχτικές πολιτικές της λιτότητας, αλιείς της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, με την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή η οποία προχωρά στη λήψη μέτρων για την προστασία των θαλάσσιων πόρων. Σ' αυτή την κρίση προστίθεται βεβαίως και η διαρκώς αυξανόμενη πίεση που ασκούν οι αναδυόμενες αλιευτικές δυνάμεις από την Ασία, καθώς επίσης και η έλλειψη σεβασμού των θεμελιωδών αρχών που η κοινή αλιευτική πολιτική έχει θεσπίσει.

Μια εύλογη εξωτερική διάσταση της κοινής αλιευτικής πολιτικής οφείλει να διασφαλίζει τα συμφέροντα των Ευρωπαίων αλιέων, ιδιαίτερα των μικρότερων, και να επιτάσσει τη βιωσιμότητα, τη διατροφική ασφάλεια και την καταπολέμηση της παράνομης αλιείας εκτός Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, διότι οι επιπτώσεις στα θαλάσσια οικοσυστήματα δεν γνωρίζουν όρια. Αυτό, όμως, θα είναι ανώφελο, αν η κοινή αλιευτική πολιτική δεν απαντήσει, ταυτόχρονα, στο δίκαιο αίτημα ανασυγκρότησης του πρωτογενούς τομέα της Ευρώπης, ιδιαίτερα σε εκείνες τις χώρες που έχουν πληγεί απ' τα μνημόνια, όπως η Ελλάδα.

  Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE). – Señora Presidenta, gracias a la ponente por el trabajo realizado. Quiero decir que la flota europea, los profesionales europeos de la pesca son, de acuerdo con las estimaciones de todos los organismos internacionales, los más respetuosos del mundo en la explotación de los recursos pesqueros, los que mejor colaboran a través de sus acuerdos con el desarrollo del sector de los terceros países y los que encabezan la lucha contra la pesca no declarada y no reglamentada.

Podemos mejorar, y estamos en ello, extremando el control y la transparencia y fomentando el papel de las organizaciones regionales de regulación pesquera, pero debemos conservar como objetivo mantener una política de acuerdos que ha dado buenos resultados hasta ahora.

Abandonar negociaciones sin agotar al máximo las posibilidades de acuerdo solo beneficia a flotas de otras áreas del mundo que ocupan de inmediato nuestro lugar con unos estándares mucho peores para nuestros antiguos socios y para proteger el medio. Por eso pido aquí confianza, respeto y apoyo para un sector, en su inmensa mayoría, ejemplar; ese es el objetivo que guía las enmiendas que he presentado a este informe.

  João Ferreira (GUE/NGL). – Senhora Presidente, Senhor Comissário, a dimensão externa da política comum das pescas enferma de muitos dos problemas, deficiências, limitações e contradições da própria PCP nas suas diversas dimensões internas. Temos sido muito críticos desta política e dos seus resultados práticos. Ao abrigo dos acordos de pesca, ditos de parceria, mas que de parceria efetiva têm muito pouco, tudo ou quase tudo se resume a transferências financeiras, sempre parcas, para países em desenvolvimento, a troco do direito de explorar os seus recursos haliêuticos. Em muitos casos isto é assim desde há décadas. Estes países são continuadamente privados das mais-valias que obteriam se fossem eles próprios a explorar os seus recursos, assim comprometendo a possibilidade de criarem riqueza e emprego, o seu desenvolvimento, soberania e independência. Há que reconhecer o falhanço da política de cooperação da União Europeia neste domínio e levar a cabo mudanças profundas, envolvendo os países interessados e articulando mais eficazmente a dimensão externa da PCP com a política de cooperação para o desenvolvimento, que se quer mais genuína e efetiva.

  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Já bych na okraj svého vystoupení chtěl pouze ocenit, že Česká republika může v tomto programovacím období čerpat prostředky i z rybářského fondu, je to poprvé.

Nicméně k tématu bych chtěl sdělit, že i minulý Parlament se zabýval tímto zásadně důležitým tématem, tedy rybolovem a dohodami o rybolovu, a v roce 2012 přijal svoji zprávu, ve které v bodě 11 uvedl, že připomíná, že hlavním cílem vnější rybářské politiky musí být zachování platných dohod o rybolovu a hledání nových příležitostí pro rybolov ve třetích zemích. Parlament přitom uznává, že pokud loďstvo EU ukončí svou činnost v lovištích některé ze třetích zemí, příslušná rybolovná práva se zpravidla rozdělují jiným loďstvům, která uplatňují mnohem nižší normy v oblasti zachování řízení a udržitelnosti, než jaké stanoví a chrání EU.

Myslím si, že to je otázka, na kterou bychom skutečně měli dodat odpoveď. Do jaké míry taková loviště při vyklizení našich pozic obsazují jiní?

  Werner Kuhn (PPE). – Frau Präsidentin! Ich glaube, dass die partnerschaftlichen Abkommen der Europäischen Union mit Drittstaaten, die meistens auch Entwicklungsländer sind, von großer Wichtigkeit auch für die Staaten selber sind. Sie haben meistens eine relativ unterentwickelte – kleine handwerkliche – Fischerei, und aus den finanziellen Beiträgen, die wir als Europäische Union aus den Fangerträgen dort als Aufbauleistung einbringen, können sie ihre Flotten verbessern, können dort auch versuchen, eine Verarbeitung aufzubauen – ob wir uns Mauretanien oder Marokko anschauen, das sind beredte Beispiele dafür –, und es wird nach den Regeln der Gemeinsamen Fischereipolitik der Europäischen Union gefischt. Dort können auch wissenschaftliche Erhebungen über die Bestände gemacht werden – ob das im Indischen Ozean ist über bluefin tuna, ob das bis hinein in den Pazifik oder vor Afrika und auch im Atlantik ist.

Es ist ganz wichtig, dass wir dort auch die illegale Fischerei bekämpfen, darauf aufmerksam machen, welche Länder sich eben nicht an die Regeln der Vereinten Nationen halten. Das kriegt man ja nur vor Ort mit, wenn dort unsere Flotten unterwegs sind. Und deshalb ist hier ein guter Anfang gemacht, der sehr gut kombiniert werden kann auch mit Entwicklungspolitik, und dass hier dann auch Qualität eingebracht werden kann, ist für meine Begriffe von höchster Wichtigkeit.

Fisch ist Allgemeingut. Es darf nur das Meer abgefischt werden, das das jeweilige Land uns auch zubilligt. Darüber gibt es ganz klare Verträge, das kann überwacht werden, auch über unser eigenes Navigations- und Satellitensystem Galileo. Die Schiffe haben alle ihre automatischen Identifikationssysteme.

Insofern sehe ich nicht die großen Bedenken, die einige Kollegen haben. Kollegin Engström, ich muss Ihnen ein großes Kompliment machen. Das ist ein guter Bericht, den Sie abgeliefert haben.

(Pyynnöstä myönnettävät puheenvuorot päättyvät)

  Karmenu Vella, Member of the Commission.– Madam President, first all we greatly appreciate this timely report on the external dimension of the fisheries policy prepared by the rapporteur, Ms Engström, and I would also like to thank the rapporteur.

The report’s recommendations are very much in the same direction as the Commission’s policy. It recognises that sustainable fishing partnership agreements contribute to sustainable fishing and to the development of the fisheries sector in partner countries. I fully agree that these agreements play a key role in the global governance of the oceans. As you know, my ambition is to set a benchmark at international level through these agreements. Sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (SFPAs) contribute to the achievement of development goals, in particular food security. We need to help developing countries to manage their resources in a sustainable way, and this is key for the supply of healthy food and for the livelihood of coastal populations.

I welcome the report’s finding that SFPAs are a very successful tool that integrate the partnership component and commercial aspects of the SFPAs, and that they promote transparency, sustainability and accountability. I also share your objective that we should ensure even better consistency between fisheries, environmental and trade policy, as well as development cooperation.

I agree that, as pointed out in the Court of Auditors’ report, there is room for further improvement. This is the case, for example, for our sectoral support policy. This is already a highly effective tool, supporting our third-country partners in developing their fisheries sector in a sustainable way and in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. We will continue to work to rally the sector’s support and ensure better coherence with our policies and our regional cooperation.

Some of the report’s recommendations have already been included in my recent proposal on the sustainable management of the external fleet. I want to improve the current legal framework and extend its scope to tackle any situation where a Union vessel is fishing outside EU waters, including under the so-called private licences. I also want to prevent abusive reflagging, which is not addressed in the current rules. These measures should definitely improve transparency and represent an additional step in reinforcing the governance of oceans where the EU is playing a key role. I am therefore looking forward to Parliament’s support on this proposal.

Finally, a few words on regional fisheries management organisations. We have a key interest in creating such bodies where stocks are shared, and in ensuring that they work well when they already exist. We have been working hard to increase the performance of these bodies in recent years, including through financial contributions.

We will also continue to improve scientific compliance and to ensure science—based decision-making. Geographical gaps, such as in the central Arctic Ocean, should be closed by setting up an adequate management framework. Existing advisory bodies, such as the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic, should be made into fully-fledged decision-making bodies. But we cannot achieve this alone. Therefore, since the beginning of my mandate, I have reached out to a number of key players to move better fisheries governance forward.

Regarding the rapporteur’s support for our stronger and clearer provisions on joint ventures, the Commission has proposed this through specific conditions in its new proposal for the regulation of the external fleet – FAR – which is now under negotiation. This will increase transparency and reduce opportunities for abuse.

I would like to take the opportunity to assure you that the Commission is fully committed to improving global fisheries governance as an essential component of ocean governance. We will continue to act globally at the level of the UN and FAO to have the legal framework we need, regionally to have efficient fisheries management bodies in place, and bilaterally in the framework of sustainable fisheries partnership agreements and dialogues with key partners to make sure fish stocks are managed in the best possible way and in a transparent manner.

I would like to thank this House for its support and I am looking forward to continuing our work in a good spirit of cooperation.

  Puhemies. – Keskustelu on päättynyt.

Äänestys toimitetaan huomenna.