The Council
held a policy debate on a proposed regulation aimed at establishing a
Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing. It requested that the permanent representatives
committee oversee further work on the regulation, taking account of the
remarks made by delegations.
The debate
focused on three questions:
- the scope of
the regulation, and in particular whether it should apply to Community
vessels, which are already subject to a comprehensive control regime, or
only to third country vessels;
- the
administrative burden that a proposed import certification procedure
would entail, and possible alternative methods or measures to prevent
imports of illegal, unreported and unregulated fish products;
- the
suitability of proposed sanctions, and concerns that, for example, the
proposed harmonisation could encroach upon Member States' legal
prerogatives.