On 16 December 2011, the Council reached a political agreement on the fixing of fishing opportunities for the following year – the third ‘TAC and quotas’ Reg. to be adopted since the entry into force of the TFEU, on the basis of Art. 43(3) thereof. The procedure provided for in this art., which does not involve Parliament, can only be applied to the mere ‘fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities’ to the exclusion of all other measures aimed at the pursuit of the objectives of the CFP, which must be adopted in accordance with the OLP as specified in Art. 43(2). However, for the third consecutive year, the Commission has chosen to propose, and the Council has chosen to adopt, in the framework of the TAC and quotas Reg., measures which clearly exceed the scope of those which it is possible to adopt on the basis of Art. 43(3), including important technical measures, such as prohibition or restriction zones and periods, restricted fishing depths, and specific requirements related to fishing gears.

Tabled: 26.1.2012

Forwarded: 30.1.2012

Deadline for reply: 6.2.2012