The Council reached an agreement on a general approach on two of the three regulation proposals of the common fisheries policy (CFP) reform "package":
- proposal for a regulation on the CFP replacing the basic provisions of the CFP;
- this proposal for a regulation on the common organisation of the markets (CMO) in fishery and aquaculture products, focussing on market policy issues.
In addition, the Council took note of the Presidency's progress report on a proposal for a regulation on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) replacing the existing European Fisheries Fund.
This general approach represents the Council's direction towards first reading pending the first reading position of the European Parliament.
On the CMO in fishery and aquaculture products, there is a broad agreement on many issues, in particular the support for fishery and aquaculture producer organisations, whose role was enlarged to contribute to handling landings of unwanted fish. In addition, proposals were established through the general approach.
Storage aid: no major change was made to the Commission proposal concerning the remaining intervention instrument "storage aid". The EMFF, on which a general approach was not foreseen, envisages the phase-out of this instrument over time.
Consumer information: in addition to the horizontal food information regulation, conditions for displaying voluntary information are highlighted. The framework allowing the Commission to develop an EU sustainability label is established.
The following topics have to be further scrutinised after the general approach, namely: (i) recitals and definitions; (ii) the choice and formulation of Commission powers to adopt delegated acts or implementing acts (alignment of the text on the Lisbon Treaty).