The Council held an exchange of views on the proposed regulation aimed at strengthening a recovery plan for cod stocks. It requested the permanent representatives committee to oversee detailed examination of the text.
The recovery plan, established in 2004 under regulation (EC) No 423/2004, is aimed at ensuring the reconstitution of cod stocks within a ten-year period to precautionary levels advised by scientists.
The proposal, approved by the Commission on 2 April, is intended to improve several aspects of the plan, given that cod stocks remain under severe pressure.
The main proposed changes are as follows: