BETA


2017/2118(INI) Towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead PECH ITURGAIZ Carlos (icon: PPE PPE) BLANCO LÓPEZ José (icon: S&D S&D), SERNAGIOTTO Remo (icon: ECR ECR), TORVALDS Nils (icon: ALDE ALDE), AFFRONTE Marco (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), D'AMATO Rosa (icon: EFDD EFDD)
Committee Opinion ENVI GAMBUS MILLET Francisco de Paula (icon: PPE PPE) Nikolay BAREKOV (icon: ECR ECR), Sylvie GODDYN (icon: ENF ENF), Claudiu Ciprian TĂNĂSESCU (icon: S&D S&D)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2018/11/13
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2018/06/12
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2018/06/12
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 605 votes to 38, with 30 abstentions, a resolution entitled ‘towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges’.

The aquaculture sector is an innovative economic sector, which is the fastest growing food production activity.

The fish farming and shellfish industries play an important and valuable role in terms of the economy, employment and social and environmental matters with respect to improving the quality of life of the coastal and inland areas of the Union and of outermost regions. In Europe, aquaculture (the farming of finfish, shellfish and aquatic plants) produces nearly 20 % of fish products and currently directly employs some 85 000 people.

Following on from the Commission communication on strategic guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture’, Members made a number of recommendations aimed at developing a growing, dynamic, sustainable and innovative EU aquaculture sector.

Unlocking the potential of EU aquaculture : Parliament stressed the need to boost its development, diversification and innovation while preserving the proper functioning of marine ecosystems:

by promoting higher levels of production of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, algae and echinoderms from aquaculture; by improving the competitiveness of such products (to improve EU aquaculture production so that it reaches at least the current global aquaculture growth rate within five years and to encourage investment in more energy-efficient and economical equipment); by increasing their consumption and contribution to food and nutrition security for EU citizens.

Sustainable growth needs to be based on:

business investment predictability and legal certainty; improved governance transparency ; clear and homogenous and simplified criteria for granting licences across the EU : the slowness and complexity of these administrative procedures do not always ensure environmental protection, indeed on the contrary sometimes making it difficult to establish socioeconomic, environmentally sustainable and quality aquaculture farms; common disease management procedures and access to appropriate veterinary treatments that are not harmful to animal and human health; effective spatial planning , taking into account all sectors, sustainability issues and food security, and further involving aquaculture organisations and local fisheries action groups (FLAGs) in decision-making through regionalisation. Spatial planning maps should be elaborated in order to identify possible areas where aquaculture and other activities may coexist; the availability of guidance documents, exchanges of best practices, the support of the Aquaculture Advisory Council; adequate financial support .

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 EU environmental legislation. Environmental sustainability should go hand in hand with social and economic sustainability.

Enhancing the competitiveness of EU aquaculture within and outside EU borders : regretting the lack of a level playing field and the dangerous distortions of competition in the sector, Members called for imported aquaculture products to be subject to the same environmental, food safety, socio-labour standards and respect for human rights as EU operators. They insisted that measures be taken to encourage EU investment in aquaculture projects in third countries.

Parliament also suggested:

fully implementing EU legislation on labelling and consumer information , both in the fish markets and in the hotel, restaurant and catering sector; creating a specific label for the recognition of products from EU sustainable aquaculture; ensuring processes for developing effective parameters for humane methods of killing fish; ensuring the availability of veterinary products by creating a genuine EU common market for vaccines and other veterinary products that protect animal and human health, especially for ‘minor’ species; improving promotion campaigns and communication at EU level on the benefits of aquaculture and fish consumption; continuing to support aquaculture research activities through the Ninth Framework Programme; ensuring appropriate vocational training in aquaculture: the retraining of professional fishermen in alternative methods of managing aquatic environments would contribute to the creation of secure jobs for women and young people in rural, coastal and outermost areas, on islands, and generally in areas which are highly dependent on fishing and aquaculture activities.

Adequate funding : Members called on the EU, as part of its post-2020 common fisheries policy, to increase investment in freshwater aquaculture to 75% . They also asked the Commission to draw up, together with the European Investment Bank, an EU-level interest-rate support scheme for investing in aquaculture and financing liquid assets.

Parliament proposed to increase, in the future, EU support for aquaculture-related research, development and innovation, with particular regard to areas affecting economic sustainability and international competitiveness.

The Commission is invited to make further efforts and provide the necessary additional assistance necessary to enable users of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to gain access to funding.

Documents
2018/06/12
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2018/06/11
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2018/05/24
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Fisheries adopted an own-initiative report by Carlos ITURGAIZ (EPP, ES) entitled ‘towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges’.

The aquaculture sector is an innovative economic sector, which is the fastest growing food production activity, and, potentially, a high-technology sector requiring structural and research investment and long-term operational and financial planning.

In Europe, aquaculture (the farming of finfish, shellfish and aquatic plants) produces nearly 20 % of fish products and currently directly employs some 85 000 people.

Following on from the Commission communication on strategic guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture’, Members made a number of recommendations aimed at developing a growing, dynamic, sustainable and innovative EU aquaculture sector.

Unlocking the potential of EU aquaculture : the report stressed the need to boost its development, diversification and innovation while preserving the proper functioning of marine ecosystems:

by promoting higher levels of production of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, algae and echinoderms from aquaculture; by improving the competitiveness of such products (to improve EU aquaculture production so that it reaches at least the current global aquaculture growth rate within five years and to encourage investment in more energy-efficient and economical equipment); by increasing their consumption and contribution to food and nutrition security for EU citizens.

Sustainable growth needs to be based on:

business investment predictability and legal certainty; improved governance transparency ; clear and homogenous and simplified criteria for granting licences across the EU : the slowness and complexity of these administrative procedures do not always ensure environmental protection, indeed on the contrary sometimes making it difficult to establish socioeconomic, environmentally sustainable and quality aquaculture farms; common disease management procedures and access to appropriate veterinary treatments that are not harmful to animal and human health; effective spatial planning , taking into account all sectors, sustainability issues and food security, and further involving aquaculture organisations and local fisheries action groups (FLAGs) in decision-making through regionalisation; the availability of guidance documents, exchanges of best practices, the support of the Aquaculture Advisory Council; adequate financial support .

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 EU environmental legislation. Environmental sustainability should go hand in hand with social and economic sustainability.

Enhancing the competitiveness of EU aquaculture within and outside EU borders : regretting the lack of a level playing field and the dangerous distortions of competition in the sector, Members called for imported aquaculture products to be subject to the same environmental, food safety, socio-labour standards and respect for human rights as EU operators. They insisted that measures be taken to encourage EU investment in aquaculture projects in third countries.

The report also suggested:

fully implementing EU legislation on labelling and consumer information , both in the fish markets and in the hotel, restaurant and catering sector; creating a specific label for the recognition of products from EU sustainable aquaculture; ensuring the availability of veterinary products by creating a genuine EU common market for vaccines and other veterinary products that protect animal and human health, especially for ‘minor’ species. Members welcomed the Commission's action plan to present incentives to increase the uptake of diagnostics, antimicrobial alternatives and vaccines; improving promotion campaigns and communication at EU level on the benefits of aquaculture and fish consumption; continuing to support aquaculture research activities through the Ninth Framework Programme; ensuring appropriate vocational training in aquaculture: the retraining of professional fishermen in alternative methods of managing aquatic environments would contribute to the creation of secure jobs for women and young people in rural, coastal and outermost areas, on islands, and generally in areas which are highly dependent on fishing and aquaculture activities.

Adequate funding : Members called on the EU, as part of its post-2020 common fisheries policy, to increase investment in freshwater aquaculture to 75% to boost the desire to invest in and support fish farmers. They also asked the Commission to draw up, together with the European Investment Bank, an EU-level interest-rate support scheme for investing in aquaculture and financing liquid assets.

Members proposed to increase, in the future, EU support for aquaculture-related research, development and innovation , with particular regard to areas affecting economic sustainability and international competitiveness.

The Commission is invited to make further efforts and provide the necessary additional assistance necessary to enable users of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to gain access to funding.

Documents
2018/05/15
   EP - Vote in committee
2018/03/21
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2018/03/06
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2018/02/01
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2017/09/12
   EP - GAMBUS MILLET Francisco de Paula (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2017/07/06
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2017/07/04
   EP - ITURGAIZ Carlos (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in PECH

Documents

Votes

A8-0186/2018 - Carlos Iturgaiz - Résolution 12/06/2018 12:59:20.000 #

2018/06/12 Outcome: +: 605, -: 38, 0: 30
DE FR IT PL ES RO GB BE CZ PT AT BG EL HU SE SK LT NL HR FI DK SI LU LV IE EE CY MT ??
Total
90
66
61
46
47
28
67
20
19
20
16
15
18
14
16
13
11
25
11
11
11
8
6
7
9
5
6
4
1
icon: PPE PPE
197

United Kingdom PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

3

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Cyprus PPE

1
icon: S&D S&D
170

Hungary S&D

2

Netherlands S&D

2

Croatia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Malta S&D

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
64

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

For (1)

1

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

1

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Netherlands ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1
2

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1

Cyprus ECR

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
57
3

Romania ALDE

3

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Portugal ALDE

1

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Croatia ALDE

2

Finland ALDE

2

Denmark ALDE

2

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
46

Italy Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

5

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Hungary Verts/ALE

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
47

Italy GUE/NGL

3

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

2

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

4

Sweden GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

4

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: ENF ENF
32

Germany ENF

Against (1)

1

Poland ENF

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

1

Belgium ENF

For (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

4
icon: NI NI
17

Germany NI

2

France NI

For (1)

1

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

4

Hungary NI

For (1)

1

Denmark NI

1

NI

For (1)

1
icon: EFDD EFDD
41

Germany EFDD

Against (1)

1

Poland EFDD

1

Czechia EFDD

Against (1)

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
473 2017/2118(INI)
2018/01/31 ENVI 101 amendments...
source: 616.868
2018/03/06 PECH 372 amendments...
source: 619.124

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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  • date: 2017-07-06T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2018-05-15T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2018-05-24T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2018-0186&language=EN title: A8-0186/2018 summary: The Committee on Fisheries adopted an own-initiative report by Carlos ITURGAIZ (EPP, ES) entitled ‘towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges’. The aquaculture sector is an innovative economic sector, which is the fastest growing food production activity, and, potentially, a high-technology sector requiring structural and research investment and long-term operational and financial planning. In Europe, aquaculture (the farming of finfish, shellfish and aquatic plants) produces nearly 20 % of fish products and currently directly employs some 85 000 people. Following on from the Commission communication on strategic guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture’, Members made a number of recommendations aimed at developing a growing, dynamic, sustainable and innovative EU aquaculture sector. Unlocking the potential of EU aquaculture : the report stressed the need to boost its development, diversification and innovation while preserving the proper functioning of marine ecosystems: by promoting higher levels of production of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, algae and echinoderms from aquaculture; by improving the competitiveness of such products (to improve EU aquaculture production so that it reaches at least the current global aquaculture growth rate within five years and to encourage investment in more energy-efficient and economical equipment); by increasing their consumption and contribution to food and nutrition security for EU citizens. Sustainable growth needs to be based on: business investment predictability and legal certainty; improved governance transparency ; clear and homogenous and simplified criteria for granting licences across the EU : the slowness and complexity of these administrative procedures do not always ensure environmental protection, indeed on the contrary sometimes making it difficult to establish socioeconomic, environmentally sustainable and quality aquaculture farms; common disease management procedures and access to appropriate veterinary treatments that are not harmful to animal and human health; effective spatial planning , taking into account all sectors, sustainability issues and food security, and further involving aquaculture organisations and local fisheries action groups (FLAGs) in decision-making through regionalisation; the availability of guidance documents, exchanges of best practices, the support of the Aquaculture Advisory Council; adequate financial support . 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 EU environmental legislation. Environmental sustainability should go hand in hand with social and economic sustainability. Enhancing the competitiveness of EU aquaculture within and outside EU borders : regretting the lack of a level playing field and the dangerous distortions of competition in the sector, Members called for imported aquaculture products to be subject to the same environmental, food safety, socio-labour standards and respect for human rights as EU operators. They insisted that measures be taken to encourage EU investment in aquaculture projects in third countries. The report also suggested: fully implementing EU legislation on labelling and consumer information , both in the fish markets and in the hotel, restaurant and catering sector; creating a specific label for the recognition of products from EU sustainable aquaculture; ensuring the availability of veterinary products by creating a genuine EU common market for vaccines and other veterinary products that protect animal and human health, especially for ‘minor’ species. Members welcomed the Commission's action plan to present incentives to increase the uptake of diagnostics, antimicrobial alternatives and vaccines; improving promotion campaigns and communication at EU level on the benefits of aquaculture and fish consumption; continuing to support aquaculture research activities through the Ninth Framework Programme; ensuring appropriate vocational training in aquaculture: the retraining of professional fishermen in alternative methods of managing aquatic environments would contribute to the creation of secure jobs for women and young people in rural, coastal and outermost areas, on islands, and generally in areas which are highly dependent on fishing and aquaculture activities. Adequate funding : Members called on the EU, as part of its post-2020 common fisheries policy, to increase investment in freshwater aquaculture to 75% to boost the desire to invest in and support fish farmers. They also asked the Commission to draw up, together with the European Investment Bank, an EU-level interest-rate support scheme for investing in aquaculture and financing liquid assets. Members proposed to increase, in the future, EU support for aquaculture-related research, development and innovation , with particular regard to areas affecting economic sustainability and international competitiveness. The Commission is invited to make further efforts and provide the necessary additional assistance necessary to enable users of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to gain access to funding.
  • date: 2018-06-11T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20180611&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2018-06-12T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=31154&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2018-06-12T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2018-0248 title: T8-0248/2018 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 605 votes to 38, with 30 abstentions, a resolution entitled ‘towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges’. The aquaculture sector is an innovative economic sector, which is the fastest growing food production activity. The fish farming and shellfish industries play an important and valuable role in terms of the economy, employment and social and environmental matters with respect to improving the quality of life of the coastal and inland areas of the Union and of outermost regions. In Europe, aquaculture (the farming of finfish, shellfish and aquatic plants) produces nearly 20 % of fish products and currently directly employs some 85 000 people. Following on from the Commission communication on strategic guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture’, Members made a number of recommendations aimed at developing a growing, dynamic, sustainable and innovative EU aquaculture sector. Unlocking the potential of EU aquaculture : Parliament stressed the need to boost its development, diversification and innovation while preserving the proper functioning of marine ecosystems: by promoting higher levels of production of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, algae and echinoderms from aquaculture; by improving the competitiveness of such products (to improve EU aquaculture production so that it reaches at least the current global aquaculture growth rate within five years and to encourage investment in more energy-efficient and economical equipment); by increasing their consumption and contribution to food and nutrition security for EU citizens. Sustainable growth needs to be based on: business investment predictability and legal certainty; improved governance transparency ; clear and homogenous and simplified criteria for granting licences across the EU : the slowness and complexity of these administrative procedures do not always ensure environmental protection, indeed on the contrary sometimes making it difficult to establish socioeconomic, environmentally sustainable and quality aquaculture farms; common disease management procedures and access to appropriate veterinary treatments that are not harmful to animal and human health; effective spatial planning , taking into account all sectors, sustainability issues and food security, and further involving aquaculture organisations and local fisheries action groups (FLAGs) in decision-making through regionalisation. Spatial planning maps should be elaborated in order to identify possible areas where aquaculture and other activities may coexist; the availability of guidance documents, exchanges of best practices, the support of the Aquaculture Advisory Council; adequate financial support . 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 EU environmental legislation. Environmental sustainability should go hand in hand with social and economic sustainability. Enhancing the competitiveness of EU aquaculture within and outside EU borders : regretting the lack of a level playing field and the dangerous distortions of competition in the sector, Members called for imported aquaculture products to be subject to the same environmental, food safety, socio-labour standards and respect for human rights as EU operators. They insisted that measures be taken to encourage EU investment in aquaculture projects in third countries. Parliament also suggested: fully implementing EU legislation on labelling and consumer information , both in the fish markets and in the hotel, restaurant and catering sector; creating a specific label for the recognition of products from EU sustainable aquaculture; ensuring processes for developing effective parameters for humane methods of killing fish; ensuring the availability of veterinary products by creating a genuine EU common market for vaccines and other veterinary products that protect animal and human health, especially for ‘minor’ species; improving promotion campaigns and communication at EU level on the benefits of aquaculture and fish consumption; continuing to support aquaculture research activities through the Ninth Framework Programme; ensuring appropriate vocational training in aquaculture: the retraining of professional fishermen in alternative methods of managing aquatic environments would contribute to the creation of secure jobs for women and young people in rural, coastal and outermost areas, on islands, and generally in areas which are highly dependent on fishing and aquaculture activities. Adequate funding : Members called on the EU, as part of its post-2020 common fisheries policy, to increase investment in freshwater aquaculture to 75% . They also asked the Commission to draw up, together with the European Investment Bank, an EU-level interest-rate support scheme for investing in aquaculture and financing liquid assets. Parliament proposed to increase, in the future, EU support for aquaculture-related research, development and innovation, with particular regard to areas affecting economic sustainability and international competitiveness. The Commission is invited to make further efforts and provide the necessary additional assistance necessary to enable users of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to gain access to funding.
  • date: 2018-06-12T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/maritime-affairs-and-fisheries_en title: Maritime Affairs and Fisheries commissioner: HOGAN Phil
procedure/Modified legal basis
Old
Rules of Procedure EP 150
New
Rules of Procedure EP 159
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Old
PECH/8/10355
New
  • PECH/8/10355
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 54
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Rules of Procedure EP 52
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Old
  • 3.15.02 Aquaculture
New
3.15.02
Aquaculture
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  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20180611&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament
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NÍ RIADA Liadh
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NÍ RIADA Liadh
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SERNAGIOTTO Remo
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SERNAGIOTTO Remo
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  • group: EPP name: GAMBÚS Francesc
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2017-09-12T00:00:00
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  • group: EPP name: GAMBÚS Francesc
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ALDE
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TORVALDS Nils
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TORVALDS Nils
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    • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee: ENVI
    • body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: BLANCO LÓPEZ José responsible: True committee: PECH date: 2017-07-04T00:00:00 committee_full: Fisheries rapporteur: group: EPP name: ITURGAIZ Carlos
    links
    other
      procedure
      reference
      2017/2118(INI)
      title
      Towards a sustainable and competitive European aquaculture sector: current status and future challenges
      legal_basis
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
      stage_reached
      Preparatory phase in Parliament
      subtype
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      INI - Own-initiative procedure
      subject
      3.15.02 Aquaculture