The committee adopted the report by Salvador JOVÉ PERES (EUL/NGL, E) modifying the proposal under the consultation procedure. The main amendments were as follows:
- the committee rejected the transfer of powers to the Commission for the setting of catch and/or fishing effort limits and said that the Council should decide on such limits after consulting Parliament (under the procedure laid down in Article 37(2) of the EC Treaty);
- the multi-annual plans should be multi-species, apart from exceptional cases;
- the Commission should submit an annual report to the Council and Parliament on the effectiveness of each multi-annual plan;
- measures should be taken to ensure the return of stocks "within the shortest possible period, minimising the social and economic impact", rather than their "rapid return" as proposed by the Commission; moreover, other amendments stressed the need to take account of the socio-economic impact of various measures;
- scientific research should be stepped up;
- the objectives, aims and measures of the regulation should also apply to fishing activities pursued under the Community's fisheries agreements with third countries;
- the committee rejected the concept of "quota penalties" in cases of infringement but called for the introduction of a harmonised system of minimum sanctions across the Community;
- there should be full recognition of the "regionalisation" inherent in the CFP; the committee wanted it to be mandatory, rather than merely optional, for the Commission to consult the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) on any proposals relating to fish stocks in the areas concerned; moreover, the Commission should encourage third countries with which it has concluded fisheries agreements to set up their own RACs;
- by 1 July 2004, provision should be made for environmental impact assessments to be made before any decision to develop "new" (i.e. previously unexploited) fisheries;
- the proposed Community fishing fleet register should be made available to the public electronically. �