Regulation 2023/2833
OJ L 000 20.12.2023, p. 0000

00056/2023/LEX

The European Parliament adopted by 600 votes to 1, with 5 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 640/2010.

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure.

This Regulation establishes a Union bluefin tuna catch documentation programme, in order to implement the bluefin tuna catch documentation scheme adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and the mandatory use of the electronic BCD (eBCD) system, with a view to identifying the origin of all bluefin tuna caught, in order to support the implementation of ICCAT conservation and management measures.

The Regulation does not apply to domestic trade, export, import and re-export of fish parts other than the meat, such as heads, eyes, roes, guts and tails.

Under this Regulation, the eBCD system should be used for any catch, landing, transfer, including intra- and inter-farm transfers, transhipment, caging, harvest, domestic trade, import, export or re-export of bluefin tuna.

A BCD should be completed in one of the official languages of ICCAT (English, French or Spanish), for each bluefin tuna caught by a fishing vessel or trap, transferred, landed or transhipped at ports by a fishing vessel or trap, or caged or harvested by farms.

The Regulation also provides that Member States should:

- ensure that each lot of bluefin tuna which is re-exported from its territory is accompanied by a validated bluefin tuna re-export certificate (BFTRC);

- ensure that their competent authorities identify each lot of bluefin tuna landed in, domestically traded in, imported into, or exported or re-exported from, their territory, and request and examine the validated BCD(s) and related documentation of each lot of bluefin tuna;

- ensure that their users are registered in the eBCD system.

When personal data are processed in the context of the application of this Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 are applicable, and it should be ensured that the obligations relating to the protection of personal data are respected at all times and at all levels.

The amending Regulation includes:

- Annex I on data to be included in the bluefin tuna catch document (BCD);

- Annex II on the ICCAT bluefin tuna catch document;

- Annex III on instructions for the issuing, numbering, completion and validation of the bluefin tuna catch document (BCD).

T9-0399/2023

PE753.443
GEDA/A/(2023)005451

GEDA/A/(2023)005451

PE753.443

The European Parliament adopted by 667 votes to 3, with 2 abstentions, amendments to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 640/2010.

The matter was referred back to the committee responsible for interinstitutional negotiations.

This proposal lays down the rules of the Union bluefin tuna catch documentation programme to implement the conservation and management measures adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas relating to bluefin tuna catch documentation programme and the mandatory use of the electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation system with a view to identifying the origin of all bluefin tuna.

Under the proposal, the recording and validation of catches and subsequent commercial operations concerning bluefin tuna would be carried out by means of an electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation system (eBCD), which has been operational since 2017 and is already used by Member States and operators. In exceptional cases, the electronic system could be replaced by paper documents (the BCD, or bluefin tuna catch document), equivalent to the requirements of the electronic system.

In addition, the proposal:

- lays down general provisions on the use of bluefin catch and re-export certificates and sets rules for the recording and validation of catch and subsequent trade events of bluefin tuna. Particular rules are set for tagged fish;

- introduces additional provisions on verification before validation, transmission of data from eBCD users, the use of paper eBCD in exceptional cases and annual reporting to ICCAT;

- proposes to make greater use of delegated acts in the future to amendment the basic act.

The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in relation to the amendment of the Regulation on the mandatory use of eBCD and BCD, rules on grouped BCD, validations of BCD and eBCD, derogation for tagging information in relation to minimum size, recording and validation of catch and subsequent trades in the eBCD system, information concerning validation and points of contact, information concerning BCD documents or printed eBCD, reporting dates.

Parliament proposed to introduce in the proposed regulation a new annex listing the annexes to the ICCAT recommendations to which the present regulation now refers.

The Commission should adopt, no later than six months after the date of entry into force of the proposed Regulation, a delegated act supplementing the Regulation with the provisions of the Annexes to the ICCAT recommendations listed in the Annex to this Regulation. The Commission may adopt delegated acts to amend this delegated act at a later stage.

T9-0027/2022

The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report by Gabriel MATO (EPP, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 640/2010.

The committee responsible recommended that Parliament adopt its position at first reading taking over the Commission proposal.

This proposal sets out the rules for a Union Bluefin Tuna Catch Documentation Programme in order to implement conservation and management measures adopted by ICCAT, under its Bluefin Tuna Catch Documentation Scheme, the purpose of which is to identify the origin of all Bluefin tuna.

Under the proposal, the recording and validation of catches and subsequent trade events of Bluefin tuna would be performed through an electronic Bluefin tuna catch document system (eBCD) which has been functioning since 2017 and which Member States and operators already use. The proposal stipulates that the electronic system can be replaced, exceptionally, by paper documents (the BCD, Bluefin Tuna Catch Document), equivalent to the electronic system requirements.

In addition, the proposal:

- establishes general provisions on the use of Bluefin catch and re-export documents and sets rules for the recording and validation of catch and subsequent trade events of Bluefin tuna. Specific rules are set for tagged fish;

- contains provisions for verification before validation, transmission of data of eBCD users and annual reporting to ICCAT;

- proposes extensive use of delegated acts to modify the basic act in future.

A9-0172/2021

PE692.613

PURPOSE: to establish a catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: the objective of the Common Fisheries Policy is to ensure an exploitation of living biological resources that is sustainable economically, environmentally and socially.

The Union has been a contracting party to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) since 14 November 1997. ICCAT has the authority to adopt recommendations on the conservation and management of the fisheries under its competence, which are binding on the contracting parties.

As part of the measures to regulate bluefin tuna stocks and to improve the quality and reliability of statistical data, and in order to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal fishing, ICCAT adopted a recommendation introducing the implementation of the bluefin tuna catch documentation scheme (BCD) and a recommendation developing the implementation of the bluefin tuna catch documentation scheme by introducing a mandatory electronic document system (eBCD).

The purpose of this proposal is to transpose and implement existing ICCAT measures, which are binding upon the contracting parties.

CONTENT: this proposal establishes a Union bluefin tuna catch documentation programme to implement the conservation and management measures adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas relating to bluefin tuna catch documentation programme and the mandatory use of the electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation system with a view to identifying the origin of all bluefin tuna.

Specifically, the proposal:

- lays down general provisions on the use of bluefin catch and re-export certificates and sets rules for the recording and validation of catch and subsequent trade events of bluefin tuna. Particular rules are set for tagged fish;

- introduces additional provisions on verification before validation, transmission of data from eBCD users, the use of paper eBCD in exceptional cases and annual reporting to ICCAT;

- sets out a detailed list of cases where delegated powers are requested to address frequent changes to the recommendations adopted by ICCAT.

COM(2020)0670
EUR-Lex