The Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached today between the European Parliament and the Council to amend the existing measures on non-sustainable fishing practices by non-EU countries on shared fish stocks of common interest.
These measures can include identifying a country as allowing non-sustainable fishing and imposing quantitative restrictions on imports of fish from the stock of common interest caught under the control of that country, and on imports of fishery products made of or containing such fish.
The agreement brings clarity and legal certainty to the conditions under which EU measures can be triggered, while also enabling more constructive engagement with non-EU countries. This is an important step that strengthens the EU’s toolbox to promote the sustainable management of fisheries beyond the EU, and to take firm action against non-sustainable fishing by non-EU countries.
Applicable across all sea basins, the amended regulation represents a key step towards safeguarding marine resources for future generations. The European Union will continue to work closely with non-EU countries to eliminate overfishing and promote science-based, cooperative fisheries management internationally.
Overfishing is a global challenge that undermines marine biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems, and threatens the socio-economic fabric of coastal communities across Europe. This agreement confirms the European Union’s commitment to sustainability, fairness, and multilateral cooperation.
Next steps
The Parliament and the Council now need to formally adopt the agreement reached during the trilogue negotiations. The amended Regulation is expected to enter into force this autumn.
Background
Regulation (EU) 1026/2012 allows the Commission to adopt restrictive measures against non-EU countries allowing non-sustainable fishing, ensuring the long-term conservation of fish stocks of common interest to the EU and non-EU countries.
