FISHFILES LITE SEPTEMBER 2002

Megapesca Lda. Portugal

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Fishfiles Lite is a monthly newsletter on key developments in EU fisheries and trade policy and legislation. For more details and to download the full text of any of the items below, please visit our site and subscribe to FishFiles Professional.

Common Fisheries Policy

1. European Council discussed proposals for CFP reform; multi-annual management seem to be non-contentious, but many issues still to be resolved.

2. The Commission proposed a Community policy for sustainable aquaculture

3. The Commission makes substantial revision of the anti-dumping measures on Norwegian salmon.

4. Council approved the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the South East Atlantic Ocean.

5. Spain exhausted its cod quota in Norwegian waters on 28 August 2002.

6. Commissioner confirms mandatory measures to prevent cetacean bycatch.

7. The Commission comments on the “gentlemen’s understanding” between the EU and Norway, on the Svalbard arctic prawn fishery.

8. During a visit to Poland, Commissioner Fischler sets out EU policies on agricultural and fisheries accession issues.

9. The Commission set out the approach to past and present studies in relation to structural funding in fisheries dependent areas.

10. The Council passed a regulation increasing the level of Community assistance for scrapping of vessels.

Fish Hygiene

11. Fishery product imports from China to be resumed, subject to testing of some consignments.

12. Details were published of Community Reference Laboratories for residue testing.

13. The Management Board of the new European Food Safety Authority met for the first time.

14. Three new testing methods approved for detecting irradiated food.

15. Scientific rationale for heavy metal limits in fishery products explained. New studies on tuna.

16. Commission sets out policy on food safety in the context of EU enlargement.

17. Launch of the Community Enquiry/ Contact Point for SPS Agreement Notification Authority.

18. The EU Parliament Economic and Social Committee supports proposed regulation regarding labeling of GM foods, and wants to see labeling of foods produced with GM material.

Common Fisheries Policy

1. The European Council discussed proposals for CFP reform. Whilst there is a broad consensus on multi-annual management plans on structural policy and fleet adjustment, the Commission is being called on to clarify proposals. A proposal for more joint enforcement actions and a greater role for the Commission is pending a review of the legalities under the EU Treaties.

2. The Commission proposed a Community policy for sustainable aquaculture containing modified structural funding for aquaculture projects, regulations on organic aquaculture and strengthened legislation on residues and monitoring.

3. Following the discovery of double invoicing, the Commission has revised the anti-dumping measures with respect to imports of Norwegian salmon. New rates of duty and minimum prices are set, with a new definitive list of exempt firms from which the Commission has accepted price undertakings.

4. The EU Council approved the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the South East Atlantic Ocean, a new regional fisheries organisation for the South East Atlantic, and imposing duties on its members.

5. Spain exhausted its cod quota in Norwegian waters on 28 August 2002.

6. Commissioner Fischler confirmed that it is the Commissions intent to regulate, in order to prevent cetacean bycatch, although the precise nature of the measures will await completion of research studies.

7. The Commission confirmed that it was powerless to alter the “gentlemen’s understanding” between the EU and Norway, limiting the amount of fishing days and number of vessels fishing simultaneously (maximum 4) in the Svalbard arctic prawn fishery.

8. During a visit to Poland, Commissioner Fischler set out EU policies on agricultural and fisheries accession issues. Negotiations on fisheries were concluded in June, and the fishery sector is due to benefit from PHARE and SAPARD funds.

9. Following critical questioning regarding the Commission’s approach to areas heavily dependent on fisheries, Commissioner Fischler set out the approach to past and present studies in this area and outlined the impact of definition of fisheries dependency on structural funding (affects Objective 2 regions only).

10. The Council passed the regulation increasing the level of Community assistance for scrapping of vessels.

Fish Hygiene

11. The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health voted for a limited lifting of measures with regard to fishery products imported from China (pollack, cod and redfish). Imports will be permitted from 30 September, 2002 but 20% of consignments will be tested.

12. The Commission published a complete list, with contact details, of the four Community Reference Laboratories for residue testing.

13. The first meeting of the Management Board of the new European Food Safety Authority was held on 18/19th September in Brussels. It dealt mainly with approving the Board's operating methods and appointing its Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

14. The Commission requested the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling to add three new testing methods, approved recently by the European Committee for Standardisation, for analysis for the detection of irradiated foods.

15. The Commission gave detailed comments on the Codex Draft Proposed Maximum Levels for cadmium, lead and tin, taking into account dietary exposure and the latest monitoring studies. It is proposed to raise the limit for Cadmium to above 0.05ppm for some fish species and to exclude brown crab meat from a limit of Lead (0.5ppm). Proposed limits for tin - 250ppm (solid food) and 200ppm (liquid food) are too high.

16. A Commission information note was published on food safety in the context of EU enlargement. It sets out policy, state of play in applicant countries, and the role of the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) in assessing food safety conditions during visits taking place in 2002.

17. The EU has launched a Community Enquiry/ Contact Point for a centralised SPS Agreement Notification Authority. The function is to warn traders of changes in regulations of WTO signatory states which might have a significant effect on trade, allowing the submission of comments prior to introduction. The idea is to prevent trade disputes before they arise.

18. The EU Parliament Economic and Social Committee commented on the proposed regulation regarding labeling of Genetically Modified (GM) foods. Generally approving, but would like to see standardization of analytical methods, and the labeling of foods produced with GM material (if for example animal feeds contained material derived from GM crops), despite the total absence of any scientific justification for such a measure.

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