Activities of José BLANCO LÓPEZ related to 2017/2118(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT Towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges PDF (563 KB) DOC (91 KB)
Amendments (63)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 6 July 2017on promoting cohesion and development in the outermost regions of the EU implementation of Article 349 of the TFEU1a _________________ 1a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2017)0316
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital –A (new)
Recital –A (new)
-A. whereas the socio-economic and labor importance of aquaculture and towards the improvement of the quality of life of the coastal and inland areas of the Union, together with its contribution to the nutritional and food security of Europeans;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the shellfish industry in the EU plays an important and valuable role in terms of the economy, employment and social and environmental matters; whereas there are certain factors which adversely affect shellfish production, including environmental and climate- related factors but, above all, animal predators; whereas, as shown by a number of studies, these predation issues are having a significant impact on production;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas it is estimated that aquaculture production in the European Union only covers 10% of the domestic demand of fish and that more than a half of the demand for fishery products comes from imports from third countries;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas the particular backwardness of the outermost regions in the development of aquaculture;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas starting up or expanding an aquaculture farm in the EU requires obtaining various permits and authorisations and the procedure for obtaining these official documents is slow, complex and uncertainnot harmonized at EU level and, in general, slow, complex and lacking legal certainty and economic previsibility; whereas this situation hinders the development of the sector and discourages business investment;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the most complex procedures are those related to environmental requirements (impact studies and surveillance procedures), but, paradoxically, the slowness and complexity of these administrative procedures do not ensure environmental protection, indeed on the contrary sometimes making it difficult to establish socioeconomic and environmentally sustainable aquaculture farms;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas bureaucratic delays, specifically those relating to licensing and planning, represent inaction that inevitably results in economic costs to potential investors and socio-labor for the zones of establishment of the aquaculture farms, with particular incidence on female and youth employment;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the lack of and adequate spatial planning, that solves the possible unavailability of locations, in conjunction wi and the competitionnflict with other economic activities, has a considerable effect on the development of EU aquaculture, since the aquaculture sector has little weight compared withmay has a lower compared weight with other ‘powerful’ activities such as tourism, oil and gas extraction, windmills, etc;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the EU environmental legislation is based on directives (the Marine Strategy Directive, the Birds and Habitats Directives, the Water Framework Directive), and it is therefore left to Member States its transposition and to local and regional administrations to apply it at theirthem according to a certain degree of discretion; whereas, consequently, there is no uniform implementation throughout the EU and this leads to legal uncertainty for enterprises and farms and lack of previsibility for investors;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas according to the scientific opinion on 'Food from the Oceans', the only way to obtain significantly more food and biomass from the ocean in a short period of time is to harvest organisms at the bottom of the food chain, such as macroalgae and bivalve molluscs;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas bivalve mollusc farming and macroalgae cultivation require a balanced supply of nutritive salts in the environment;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas EU products have to comply with a series of stringent environmental, animal health and consumer protection rules and standards covering production operations, feed, welfare, transport, processing and social conditions of employment; whereas the result is excellent quality and sustainable products which may be more expensive and, thus, less competitive than the imported ones, which frequently arrive on the EU market at lower than expected prices thanks to practices which are unsustainable from an environmental and, social and labor point of view, and whose production has been accompanied by poor animal welfare standards;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the consumption of fish should be increased, a food containing proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and essential micronutrients that benefit human health, and the excellent quality of EU seafood should constitute a major competitive advantage for EU aquaculture;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
L a. whereas the progressive increasement of the global consumption of fish in parallel with the global growth of the population;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas additionally, there is not always coherence among EU trade, social and environmental policies: for example, the EU grants Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP and GSP+) status to vulnerable developing countries, aiming at allowing them to pay fewer or no duties on exports to the EU, giving them vital access to the EU market and contributing to their growth; whereas, at the same time, some of these countries, for example some Asian countries, produce farmed fish with low environmental and, social standardand labor standards, sometimes, in detriment of human rights;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas this not only leads toour deficit in the external trade of aquaculture and the unfair competition that takes place between imported third- country aquaculture products and EU produce, but also affects produce andin detriment of the food quality and consumers’ health;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N a (new)
Recital N a (new)
N a. whereas the opportunities that aquaculture in third states offers to EU investment;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
P. whereas the EU legislation regarding information on aquatic products for the consumer is clear; and that its control corresponds to the authorities of the Member States; and however, the failure actually to provide this essential information for the consumer is generally notorious, in the case of both fishmongers and restaurants; whereas this situation of insufficient implementation undermines the competitiveness of EU aquaculture;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q
Recital Q
Q. whereas sustainable aquaculture is based on rearing healthy animals, and for this it is essential to have the specific veterinary tools, especially vaccines tothrough a responsible use of vaccines and antibiotics that ensures animal health and welfare and safe and nutritional aquaculture products;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R
Recital R
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital U a (new)
Recital U a (new)
U a. whereas the importance of a spatial planning that takes into consideration the conciliation of aquaculture with other uses such as energy, maritime transport, tourism, leisure and conservation, protection and improvement of nature and environment;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital U b (new)
Recital U b (new)
U b. whereas the potential of freshwater aquaculture for the improvement of food security and the development of rural areas, as well as inland aquaculture with enclosed waters, of integrated multitrophic aquaculture and recirculation systems or aquaponics in urban zones;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital U c (new)
Recital U c (new)
U c. whereas crustaceans and molluscs and aquatic plants, such as algae, are also an important resource for aquaculture;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V
Recital V
V. whereas research and innovation have a fundamental role to play in unlocking the potential of sustainable aquaculture; whereas production can be sustainably increased through innovation- led expansion, the regeneration and cleaning of waters, the use of renewable energies and energy and resource efficiency, while reducing environmental impacts and providing environmental services;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital V a (new)
Recital V a (new)
V a. whereas the importance of standard protocols at EU level of scientific data that enable the supervision and improvement of management and production practices, as well as their environmental and health impact;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the need to boost the deveRecognizes the positive effects that sustainable aquaculture can have on the emplopyment of and innovatthe economy of the Union, in EU aquaculture, togeneral, improveing the competitiveness of the sector,quality of life of its coastal and inland areas, and stresses the need to fbooster economic activity and diversification, to its development, diversification and innovation, promoting a greater production of fishes, crustaceans, molluscs and algae from aquaculture, improving their competitiveness and increaseing the sector’sir consumption and contribution to food and nutrition security for EU citizens, and to improve the quality of life in coastal and inland areas;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that sustainable growth needs to be based on: business investment previsibility and legal certainty, which can be created through more efficient administrative frameworks, improved governance transparency, clear and homogenous criteria for granting licences across the EU, common disease management procedures and access to appropriate veterinary treatments, effective spatial planning, the availability of guidance documents, exchange of best practices, the support of the Aquaculture Advisory Council, and adequate financial support;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises the importance ofpotencial of aquaculture to contribute to food and nutrition security for EU citizens and the need for sustainable and healthy diets, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable food systems, circularity and resource efficiency of food systems, encouraging innovation and the empowerment of communities;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reiterates that the development of European aquaculture has to be linked to the basic and vital need of self-sufficient, safe, nutritional and sustainable food production and put higher on the EU global agenda;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses the importance of launching coordination instruments, study groups and EU activities, with a view to determining the cases in which mollusc production is significantly jeopardised by the predatory action of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), and to seeking sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Underlines how important it is that the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) should provide protection for mollusc production areas, as laid down in the now repealed 'Molluscs Directive';
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Points out that in an environment in which macroalgae or bivalve molluscs are to be produced, the reduction of nutrient inputs to achieve good environmental status must take into account the natural abatement capacity of the organisms being farmed or cultivated;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – introductory part
Paragraph 10 – introductory part
10. Stresses that the sustainable growth of aquaculture needs to be based on business investment previsibility and legal certainty, which can be created through:
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point c
Paragraph 10 – point c
c) better coordination as regards the shared competences of the EU, the Member States and, where appropriate, regional and local authorities;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point g
Paragraph 10 – point g
g) close cooperation between the Commission and the competent authorities (national, but also local and regional) in the implementation of EU legislation (mainly sanitary and environmental);
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point i a (new)
Paragraph 10 – point i a (new)
i a) better incardination of the aquaculture and fisheries perspective in the Union's trade agreements;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Suggests establishing a simplified or ‘fast-track’ licensing system, whereby the competent administration grants a provisional certificate permitting those operators who meet predefined criteria to commence their activities; points out that these criteria could be based on applicants’ history or on the fact that they have put forward a pioneering aquaculture project in terms of innovation and/or sustainability, or on the establishment of reserved aquaculture easement zones where uses that are incompatible with aquaculture are defined in advance;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Stresses that spatial planning does not necessarily have to go through the segregation of activities in certain areas, but rather in the balanced compatibility between them and that can potentially bring benefits to all
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Urges the Commission and the Member States on the elaboration of spatial planning maps in order to identify possible areas where aquaculture and other activities may coexist;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Points out that, in order to ensure a level playing field in the access to marine resources, the socioeconomic and environmental impact studies required for aquaculture should also affect all sectors in concurrence with it, such as, tourism or raw material extractions;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15 b. Urges the Member States and national authorities to the compliance with the EU legislation on waters and the regeneration and cleaning of contaminated areas;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses that the EU legislation should be better adapted to aquaculture’s realities, specificities and needs in the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy and in coherence, inter alia, with the Union environmental legislation, in line with the objective of achieving a good environmental status of all marine waters by 2020 and taking into account the importance of female and youth employment in the sector;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Urges the Commission to improve the limited contribution of aquaculture production to the domestic demand for fish, estimated on a 10%, and reverse the fact that more than a half of the Union's demand for fish comes from imported products;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Enhancing competitiveness of EU aquaculture within and outside our borders
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that stricter EU legislation on imports is needed in order to guarantee that they comply with the same environmental and food safety standards as EU products, as well as certain socio-labor standards and respect for human rights;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls for more and better controls at the bordersorigin and border controls for imported products and, at an internal level, that illegal or "furtive" aquaculture practices that affect the internal development of the sector are combated;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Urges to encourage EU investment in aquaculture projects in third countries;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the Commission to investigate how best to monitor farming procedures, in respect of environmental, hygiene and social standards, in exporting third countries so that a level playing field can be implemented internationally. At the same time, the results of the monitoring of aquaculture processes in third countries should be decisive for the renewal of export authorizations for products to the EU;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Highlights the potential of freshwater aquaculture as well as inland aquaculture with enclosed water, integrated multitrophic aquaculture and recirculation systems and aquaponics in urban areas;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Asks the Commission to assess the effects of brexit in the field of aquaculture;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Asks for the creation of a specific label for the recognition of products from EU sustainable aquaculture;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Stresses that a real EU common market is required for vaccines, antibiotics and other veterinary products, especially for ‘minor’ species; and that an adequate treatment of the excrements in the fish farms and the fight against the parasites is guaranteed in line with the medicated feed and veterinary medicinal products EU legislation;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Urges the Commission to establish the obligation to provide information on the use of vaccines and antibiotics in aquaculture in view of possible risks to human health and the ecosystem;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 8
Subheading 8
Better promotional campaigns and communication
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Points out that better promotional campaigns and communication at EU level on the benefits of aquaculture isand fish consumption are needed;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Asks the Commission to supervise the control functions that correspond to the authorities of the Member States regarding the information on aquatic products that should be provided to consumers;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Urges for investments in research, studies and pilot projects on aquaculture practices based on the ecosystem, in particular to outermost and with demographic handicaps regions;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36 a. Asks that, based on the best scientific recommendations, to establish standard protocols at EU level for the collection of data for the monitoring and improvement of aquaculture management and production practices, as well as regarding its social, health, and economic and environmental impact, for both marine and freshwater fish farms;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to guarantee appropriate vocational training in the field of aquaculture and encourage the possible retraining of professional fishermen in alternative methods of managing aquatic environments, thus also helping to create jobs for women and young people in rural and coastal areas and in the outermost regions, and, in general, in regions that depend to a great extent on fisheries and aquaculture activities;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37 a. Highlights the important role of women in the aquaculture sector and the need to adapt the legislation to this reality, as well as the consideration of those other activities attached to aquaculture itself such as those developed, among others, by fishing nets weavers or packers;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Reiterates the views it has already expressed in its resolution on the adoption of a European Cormorant Management Plan, and points out that reducing the harm caused by cormorants and other birds of prey to aquaculture farms is a major factor in production costs, and thus for their survival and competitiveness; calls on the Member States to apply the current exceptions in the case of herons and cormorants and to the Commission to review the state of conservation of the otter;