The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report by Werner KUHN (EPP, DE) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council defining characteristics for fishing vessels (recast).
The committee recommended that the European Parliament adopt its position at first reading hereinafter set out, taking into account the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. It has, however, submitted amendments to the proposal for a recast.
Accordingly, Members recommended:
For larger fishing vessels exceeding 15 meters, a greater expansion of vessel characterisation to include cargo and fuel capacity, processing ability and output is desirable.
With regard to engine power, the Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in order to adapt the reference to the relevant ISO International Standard to technical progress. The power to adopt delegated acts should be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from the date of entry into force of the Regulation. The delegation of power should be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period.
Lastly, Members proposed adding a recital referring to Parliament’s resolution of 22 November 2012 on small-scale coastal fishing, artisanal fishing and the reform of the common fisheries policy, which called for a legal definition regarding the characteristics of large-scale and small-scale fisheries in order to legally distinguish them from one another.