2013 Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform was approved!

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform was approved in a final plenary vote on Tuesday 10 December. The European Union’s new fisheries legislation can take effect in 2014.

In May this year the Council and European Parliament concluded political agreements on the basic regulation and market regulation in the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. After proofreading and translation, the Council adopted the texts as their first reading position in October. In its second reading, the Parliament today adopted the Council’s first reading position without changes, which means there are no more legislative hurdles to pass.

Basic regulation 

The new basic regulation includes measures to halt overfishing and to reduce fish discards at sea.

“The reform will tackle the biggest problem of the Common Fisheries Policy, which is continued overfishing. The Council of the EU will now be obliged to act in a sustainable way when negotiating fishing quotas”, said rapporteur Ulrike Rodust (S&D, DE).


The approved legislative text of the basic regulation (Council’s first reading position, approved by Parliament without changes) - A summary of the main points in the basic regulation - European Parliament press release


Market regulation 

New marketing rules will ensure that consumers are better informed about the fish they buy, inter alia by requiring that labels give more details of the catch area or the type of gear used.


The approved legislative text of the market regulation (Council’s first reading position, approved by Parliament without changes)


Fisheries fund still being negotiated The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), which is the third and final part of the CFP reform, will not be finalised before the end of the year. The European Parliament and the Council are currently in trilogue negotiations following the adoption in October of the European Parliament’s position.

EU-Morocco agreement & deep-sea fisheries Today the European Parliament also adopted the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement as well as a new regulation on deep-sea fishing.