The European Union has adopted a series of rules in order to tighten the controls over fishing activities, from those carried out by fishermen operating illegally, to the marketing of these products in the Union. These new rules will allow Member states to step up efforts against overfishing in their waters, strengthening the traceability in the food chain and contributing to a more sustainable fisheries sector as a whole.

The rules laid down by this nes implementing Regulation, complete an exhaustive reform of the EU system for fisheries controls policy which was started in 2008. With the adoption of detailed rules on how to carry out controls throughout the market chain, the European Union now has the means to break with the past and establish a real culture of compliance to stop overfishing and achieve a really sustainable fisheries sector.

Therefore, these new rules complete a new legal framework which rests on three pillars: a Regulation against illegal fishing, which will ensure that all fishery products traded to and from the EU are in full compliance with all relevant conservation and management measures; a Regulation on fishing authorisations, which provides a framework through which EU operators can be licensed to fish outside EU waters and foreign operators to fish in EU waters; and the core Control Regulation itself, which creates an entirely new legal framework for the control and enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Tough on illegal fishing, “from net to plate”

The new Regulation introduces some implementing rules which were necessary in order to make the 2010 Control Regulation over illegal fishing fully applicable. According to the implementing Regulation, controls over catches will be increased, allowing controls "from net to plate". These controls will therefore cover all stages of the supply chain, and will allow inspectors to detect wrongdoings at any point in the chain, thanks to the traceability system.

Mechanisms to ensure a level playing field for fishermen, other operators and Member States will also be introduced. For that purpose, sanctions have been harmonised and a new point system will ensure that serious infringements lead to similar consequences in all Member States. Furthermore, all applicable rules in the field of EU fisheries control will now be contained in this single text, therefore ensuring higher simplification and clarity.

Finally, the use of new technologies will be generalised, reducing administrative costs for operators and authorities as well as making data checks much easier. All this will contribute to increase efficiency of the whole system.

In order to increase effectiveness of the controls and compliance by the Member States, the Commission will be able to use certain mechanisms such as increased powers for verification and independent inspections and audit, as well as the possibility to carry out administrative enquiries, or proceed to suspension or withdrawal of EU funds and reduction of quotas and fishing effort. Also, the Commission will be entitled to grant financial assistance to Member States by co-financing certain types of projects in order to ease the implementation of these rules, especially those concerning the implementation of new technologies.