The committee adopted the report by Paulo CASACA (PES, PT) broadly approving the proposal under the consultation procedure, subject to a number of amendments:
- information contained in the electronic record should be made available for scientific research, but should not contain secret commercial information. Moreover, confidentiality should be ensured so that fishermen will have confidence in the new system;
- the Commission should provide a detailed financial table explaining how the system will be financed;
- the Community should grant financial assistance to fishermen and national authorities in order to facilitate the purchase of equipment, its installation and special training;
- the regulation should enter into force on 1 January 2008 and not on 1 January 2006, as proposed by the Commission. MEPs argued that the implementation of the system could not be achieved for another three years at least.