2022/2148(INI) The implications of Chinese fishing operations on EU fisheries and the way forward
Lead committee dossier:
Progress: Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | PECH |
KARLESKIND Pierre ( Renew)
|
MILLÁN MON Francisco José ( EPP),
MEBAREK Nora ( S&D),
GUERREIRO Francisco ( Verts/ALE),
CASANOVA Massimo ( ID),
STANCANELLI Raffaele ( ECR),
PIMENTA LOPES João ( GUE/NGL)
|
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Subjects
Events
2023/10/17
EP - Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
Documents
2023/10/17
EP - Decision by Parliament
Documents
2023/10/16
EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
2023/10/02
EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details
The Committee on Fisheries adopted the own-initiative report by Pierre KARLESKIND (Renew, FR) on the implications of Chinese fishing operations on EU fisheries and the way forward.
Ensuring maximum transparency
Members deplored the Chinese authorities’ lack of transparency concerning the number of vessels making up its distant-water fleet. They are concerned and bewildered that, in the absence of reliable official figures, the various estimates of the size of China’s distant-water fleet range from 2 900 to 16 966 vessels. They noted that the total Chinese fishing fleet contains up to 564 000 vessels, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO insisted on transparency, recognising that improvements are needed to more accurately assign China’s distant-water fishery catches by area and disaggregate catches by species.
The Commission is called on to:
- encourage and guide the Chinese Government in implementing standards governing distant-water fishing with a view to moving towards sustainable fishing techniques;
- develop monitoring, tracking and geolocation instruments for vessels on the high seas by supporting the implementation of international initiatives designed to coordinate data systems and provide complete, precise data and transparent information on the location, origin and activity of fishing vessels;
- take measures to stop the use of flags of convenience and improve its system for identifying vessels engaged in IUU fishing, so that a boat’s country of origin can be identified even if its flag state is unclear and so that boats on which human rights violations have been detected are also included;
- launch a catch identification system based on the recommendations in the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Catch Documentation Schemes;
- initiate, with its international partners, a strategy for monitoring bilateral agreements entered into by China with a view to preventing distortion of competition whether in supply chains or trade.
Defending the EU against unfair trade practices
Member States are asked to strictly enforce EU law on the catch report and traceability system. It is believed that the digitalisation of IUU catch certificates via the CATCH system will reduce opportunities for fraudulent imports and alleviate the administrative burden on Member States. Therefore, the report called on Member States and the Commission to provide information on how many products that are caught by Chinese vessels subsequently enter the EU market. There is also a need to harmonise and step-up customs and port controls, as well as on commercial platforms, of all imported fishery products in order to restrict the movement of products deriving from illegal fishing on the single market. Enhanced certification of origin for imported fishery products is needed so that fisheries are subject to European legislation rather than flag state legislation, in order to ensure that products entering the single market come from sustainable sources and their origin and compliance have been checked and that it contributes to preserving public health and preventing the distortion of competition.
Moreover, the report expressed concern about the news regarding the presence of a number of Chinese vessels fishing unchecked in the high seas adjacent to the exclusive economic zones of some Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Argentina. Members encouraged China and the countries with which it has signed fisheries agreements to strengthen their capacity to monitor, detect, prevent and respond to IUU fishing incidents.
Protecting fisheries resources and human rights
Noting that the intensity of the Chinese fishing fleet’s activities is on the way to depleting fisheries resources, the report underlined that the status of all targeted fisheries resources globally should be scientifically assessed with a view to determining the level of exploitation. In addition, Members advocated the establishment of management plans , including regional ones, in countries with which the EU has signed sustainable fisheries partnership agreements. They stressed that introducing better governance of fisheries in developing countries should be a priority in order to combat IUU fishing and build suitable infrastructure, train a workforce qualified in port controls and organise an effective defence system to cope with interference at sea.
Members are deeply concerned about the information regarding inhumane working conditions on board some Chinese fishing vessels. In this regard, China is urged to ratify, as soon as possible, the International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention (No 188).
The EU is also called on to step up its cooperation with the United Kingdom, the US, Japan and other key players in fisheries and ocean policy, using its diplomatic and trade instruments to encourage China to make progress on the necessary reforms of its fisheries governance framework.
Noting the increase in Chinese exports to the EU, Members requested that the Commission ensure a rapid, uniform and global implementation of the CATCH IT system , when it becomes mandatory.
Ensuring dialogue between China and the EU continues
The report encourages collaboration with China at global level, under the banner of the FAO, RFMOs and the WTO, with a view to devising global policies and regulations to combat IUU fishing. Members noted that the human and financial resources allocated to DG MARE and the EFCA to deal with China and cooperation with third countries are insufficient to cover the true needs. A better balance is needed to ensure that dialogue continues.
Lastly, the Commission is urged to ensure that its fisheries policy on China is consistent with all of its other policies, especially its trade, social and development cooperation policies. An interdepartmental working group on IUU fishing should be set up under the supervision of a Commission vice-president.
Documents
2023/09/20
EP - Vote in committee
2023/05/23
EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/04/05
EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2022/10/20
EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2022/06/16
EP - KARLESKIND Pierre (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in PECH
Documents
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: T9-0366/2023
- Decision by Parliament: T9-0366/2023
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A9-0282/2023
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE749.111
- Committee draft report: PE746.650
- Committee draft report: PE746.650
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE749.111
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: T9-0366/2023
Activities
- Dita CHARANZOVÁ
- Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Catherine CHABAUD
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Pierre KARLESKIND
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Caroline ROOSE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Mick WALLACE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Isabel CARVALHAIS
Plenary Speeches (1)
Votes
Implications des activités de pêche chinoises sur les pêcheries de l’Union et la voie à suivre - Implications of Chinese fishing operations for EU fisheries and the way forward - Die Auswirkungen der chinesischen Fischereitätigkeiten auf die EU-Fischerei und weiteres Vorgehen - A9-0282/2023 - Pierre Karleskind - Proposition de résolution #
2023/10/17 Outcome: +: 573, 0: 30, -: 11
PPE
NI
The Left| Amendments | Dossier |
| 135 |
2022/2148(INI)
2023/05/23
PECH
135 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 4 Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 15 a (new) – having regard to the 2022 FAO report titled 'The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022. Towards Blue Transformation',
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that the intensity of the
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Highlights the evidence that Chinese commercial fishing vessels are being used in disputed waters in the South China Sea to consolidate Chinese presence; is concerned that this practice might contribute to increase the existing tensions in those areas;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Highlights the volume of regulations that EU fleets have to conform to in their fishing activities and that EU fleets' products have to compete with those from countries that operate in an opaque manner;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12.
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Advocates the establishment of management plans in countries with which the EU has signed sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (SFPAs); notes that the SFPA with Mauritania, which includes a management plan for pelagic species, has reduced the fishing pressure imposed by all vessels targeting these stocks; highlights the direct and indirect impact of overfishing on the EEZs of developing countries, whose economies are highly dependent on fishing, leading to more piracy and to artisanal fishers distrusting the EU;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Advocates the establishment of management plans, including regional ones, in countries with which the EU has signed sustainable fisheries partnership agreements (SFPAs); notes that the SFPA with Mauritania, which includes a management plan for pelagic species, has reduced the fishing pressure imposed by all vessels targeting these stocks;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Calls on the Commission and on EU partner countries in Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements to increase their efforts fighting IUU fishing in their waters;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Asks the Commission to devise a strategy to address the fact that China is importing increasing amounts of fishmeal from the rest of the world
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Asks the Commission to devise a strategy to address the fact that China is importing increasing amounts of fishmeal from the rest of the world; stresses that these imports could jeopardise food security in Africa; welcomes the promising and recent progress made on the use of plant-based protein in sustainable fish feed, and urges the Commission and the Member States to support this development;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 15 b (new) – having regard to the 2022 EUMOFA report titled 'The EU Fish Market',
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Asks the Commission to devise a strategy to address the fact that China is importing increasing amounts of fishmeal from the rest of the world; stresses that these
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Calls on China to ratify the ILO's Work in Fishing Convention (No 188);
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to invoke EU Regulation 2020/1998 against Chinese companies already sanctioned by the US Treasury and, if necessary, to extend this measure to other companies accused of human rights violations that are blocking economic growth prospects for local populations;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Calls for EU funding for 'exploratory fishing', i.e. a type of fishing with the goal of discovering new species, either because they had hitherto been alien to our seas or because they simply have not been exploited for cultural reasons, which may be caught and placed on the market; this move is a major step forward because stocks that are currently suffering periods of biological decline can be exploited less and it enables our fishers to continue to do their work in basins where new species are increasing and others are often unknown;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Is deeply concerned about the information regarding inhumane working conditions on board some Chinese fishing vessels; urges China to ratify as soon as possible the ILO's Work in Fishing Convention (No 188);
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Highlights the need for the European Union to extensively cooperate with third countries on fisheries, particularly with regard to fisheries control;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Calls for the introduction of a strict EU policy on the labelling of fish; consumers have the right to be informed with regard to geographical indications on catch areas and must be able to have full faith in the fisheries supply chain as a whole on the EU market;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 17 a (new) – having regard to the draft Protocol amending the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization, Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (14558/2022), adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference (CM12) on 17 June 2022,
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 c (new) 14c. Welcomes the fact that both the European Union and China are participating in the FAO Blue Fishing Ports initiative, which aims to draw up guidelines on best international practice for fishing ports that are in the process of transitioning to blue economy models, in order to improve their sustainability by protecting the environment and promoting the social and economic benefits; reiterates its request to the FAO to establish a permanent office in the Port of Vigo to develop and manage the Global Blue Ports Network;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 c (new) 14c. Calls for the introduction of financial rewards and incentives for sustainable practices, for the development of partnerships and certification by means of quality and ecological sustainability labels;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 d (new) 14d. Calls for promotion campaigns for artisanal fisheries products to be organised and for a return to smaller, more specialised sales outlets so that they can position themselves on markets where they are not yet present;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Emphasises collaboration with China at global level, under the banner of the FAO, regional fisheries management organisations and the WTO, with a view to devising global policies and regulations to combat IUU fishing; stresses, too, that the Union must step up its cooperation with the United Kingdom, the US, Japan and other key players in fisheries and ocean policy, using its diplomatic and trade instruments to encourage China to make progress on the necessary reforms of its fisheries governance framework; welcomes the fact that, in 2022, the US President instructed his Secretary of State, in coordination with the US Mission to the European Union, to cooperate with the EU, Japan, other members of the G7 and other partners to tackle harmful fishing practices in West Africa, Latin American, the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific region;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Emphasises collaboration with China at global level, under the banner of the FAO, regional fisheries management organisations and the WTO, with a view to devising global policies and regulations to combat IUU fishing; reminds the Commission of the need for the EU to be a leader in international negotiations in order to promote its ambitions, vision and goals for sustainable fisheries;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Invites the EU and China to cooperate closely on the sustainable use of marine biological resources, on ocean governance - in particular in the fisheries sector -
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Invites the EU and China to cooperate closely on the sustainable use of marine biological resources, on ocean governance ‑ in particular in the fisheries sector ‑ and in combating IUU fishing; calls on the Commission to assess the results achieved by the initiative for a 'blue partnership' with the PRC;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Invites the EU and China to cooperate closely and in a transparent manner on the sustainable use of marine biological resources, on ocean governance ‑ in particular in the fisheries sector ‑ and in combating IUU fishing
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Is pleased that China’s 14th five- year plan for the development of its fisheries includes the following targets: enhancing law enforcement, enhancing the protection of aquatic life and promoting the sustainable use of fishery resources, enhancing the safety of fishing activities involving foreign parties, promoting open development and win-win cooperation, boosting international cooperation in the fishing industry, and continuing to improve the capacity for honouring agreements; urges China to meet these targets, including the measures concerning its distant-water fleet;
Amendment 129 #
16a. Is of the opinion that China is failing its obligations under international law and believes that China, in the absence of concrete improvements, should be handed a yellow card;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 19 a (new) – having regard to the Fisheries Law of the People's Republic of China, adopted on 20 January 1986, and the proposed reform published by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on 28 August 2019,
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 b (new) 16b. Is pleased that the draft reform of China's Fisheries Law, published in 2019, refers to sustainability and conservation as vectors of the transformation of Chinese fisheries, clarifies the penalties for IUU fishing and establishes new control mechanisms for the distant-water fleet; hopes that this proposal by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will be adopted as soon as possible by the National People's Congress; invites the Chinese authorities to update its legislation as quickly as possible in order to tackle IUU fishing and overfishing effectively;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that the human and financial resources allocated to DG MARE and the EFCA to deal with China and cooperation with third countries are insufficient to cover the true needs; calls for a better balance to be struck so as to ensure that dialogue continues;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Emphasises that, in the context of the global competition between the US and China, the US Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement Act has adopted a whole-of-government approach to tackling IUU fishing and associated threats to maritime security; commends the fact that the Interagency Working Group on IUU fishing established under this Act brings together 21 federal departments and agencies;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Urges the Commission to ensure that its fisheries policy regarding China is consistent with all of its other policies, especially its trade, social and development cooperation policies; urges the Commission and the European External Action Service, following the example of the US, to look into setting up an interdepartmental working group on IUU fishing under the supervision of a Commission vice-president; suggests that this working group should coordinate the efforts of the Commission's various Directorates-General, the EEAS, the EFCA and the Joint Research Centre;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 c (new) 17c. Welcomes the fact that the European Union recently joined the IUU Fishing Action Alliance; urges the members of the Alliance to coordinate their national systems for tackling IUU fishing and, in particular, to look into the possibility of jointly issuing 'yellow cards' and 'red cards' or other similar instruments;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 a (new) – having regard to the Joint Statement by Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru of 3 November 2020 concerning foreign-flagged fishing vessels in zones adjacent to waters under the national jurisdiction of each country,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 a (new) – having regard to the US Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act, adopted on 20 December 2019,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 a (new) - having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 b (new) – having regard to the US President's National Security Memorandum/NSM-11 of 27 June 2022 on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Associated Labor Abuses,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 c (new) – having regard to the National 5- Year Strategy for Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (2022-2026) of 19 October 2022, drawn up by the US Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing,
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 4 a (new) – having regard to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1005/2008, and Regulation (EU) No 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards fisheries control (COM/2018/368 final) and to Parliament's report on that proposal,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 d (new) – having regard to report of the United States Congressional Research Service of 12 April 2022 on China's Role in the Exploitation of Global Fisheries: Issues for Congress (R47065),
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 g (new) – having regard to the report of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) of 2 June 2020 entitled 'China’s distant- water fishing fleet: scale, impact and governance',
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 h (new) – having regard to the report of the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) of 30 March 2022 entitled 'The Ever- Widening Net: Mapping the scale, nature and corporate structures of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by the Chinese distant-water fleet',
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 i (new) – having regard to the IUU Fishing Index update of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and Poseidon – Aquatic Resource Management Ltd, published on 23 December 2021,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 20 j (new) – having regard to the IUU Fishing Action Alliance Pledge to stimulate ambition and action in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, agreed on 28 June 2022,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 states that the European Union shall conduct its external fisheries relations with a view to ensuring sustainable exploitation, management and conservation of marine biological resources and the marine environment; whereas in accordance with Article 30 of that Regulation, and at the request of the European Commission, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) will assist the Union in cooperating with third countries and international organisations dealing with fisheries, including RFMOs, to strengthen coordination and compliance with measures, especially those to combat IUU fishing;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 states that the
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. Whereas the zero tolerance policy on IUU should apply equally to all third countries, irrespective of size;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas there are currently four third countries with a red card and eight third countries with a yellow card
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas there are currently four third countries with a red card and eight third countries with a yellow card; whereas the European Commission tends to issue cards to countries that pose a smaller economic threat, while China has not been issued any;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 5 Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. Whereas, according to article 31(3) of Regulation (1005/2008), a third country may be identified as a non- cooperating third country if it fails to discharge the duties incumbent upon it under international law as flag, port, coastal or market State, to take action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. Whereas the yellow-card procedure is meant to give a warning and to engage in a dialogue with a non- cooperating third country;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas China has the world’s largest distant-water fishing fleet, with more than 2 700 vessels according to official Chinese figures, and is the world
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the scale of China's seafood production, extraction and consumption has far-reaching repercussions on fish management and conservation and food security around the world; whereas China's distant-water fleet is a major competitor for the Union's fishing fleet;
Amendment 35 #
Db. whereas more than 80% of the fish consumed in China comes from aquaculture (EUMOFA, 2022); whereas China's aquaculture production in 2020 totalled around 70.5 million tonnes, which on its own represents 58% of global aquaculture production and 63% of Asian aquaculture production;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D c (new) Dc. whereas the overexploitation of marine biological resources in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, as well as the deterioration of their habitats due to pollution, are partly why China has now developed the largest distant-water fishing fleet and aquaculture industry in the world; whereas, in 2013, President Xi Jinping urged his country's fishing sector to 'build bigger ships and venture even farther into the oceans and catch bigger fish';
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D d (new) Dd. whereas the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that subsidies for Chinese fishing between 2008 and 2017 represented around 41% of all global subsidies;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the EU is
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas the amount of legislation that EU fishing fleeting has to conform to is burdensome and the resulting effort is colossal in terms of economics but also of competitiveness with regard to imported products;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 7 a (new) – having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 8 July 2021 on the establishment of Antarctic Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the conservation of Southern Ocean biodiversity (2021/2757(RSP)),
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas the People
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the EU and the People
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the EU and the People
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I I. whereas the US Treasury
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Recital J J. whereas China
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K K. whereas in order to ensure that the Union’s production of fishery products is not jeopardised and that there is an adequate supply of fishery products to its processing industry, the Council, on the basis of a Commission proposal, may biannually reduce or suspend import duties for a number of fishery products within tariff quotas of an appropriate volume8a; whereas 39% of the tuna fillets imported into the EU in 2017 under the 0%
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K a (new) Ka. whereas according to EUMOFA data, China exported 5.35 million tonnes of fishery and aquaculture products in 2017 (9% to the European Union), with a nominal value of EUR 19.17 million (EU imports represented 8% of the value); whereas the EUMOFA data for 2021, the last year for which figures are available, also reveal that Chinese seafood exports fell to 3.71 million tonnes (10% to the EU), with a nominal value of EUR 18.1 million (EU imports accounting for 8% of the value);
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K a (new) Ka. whereas the Chinese seafood imported into the European market is the product of opaque operations and severely undermines the competitiveness of the European single market, which has severe economic and labour repercussions for companies in the sector and throughout the supply chain;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Recital L a (new) La. whereas as technology and consumer demand has developed, value chains in the fisheries sector have become increasingly complex and globalised; whereas although primary producers play a key role in those chains, they do not always benefit from the added value generated later on in the chain;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Recital L a (new) La. whereas maritime strategy is an essential part of China's plan to expand its power, and the politicisation and militarisation of its civil maritime sector can be observed, including with respect to fishing; whereas the EU should consider the strategic sovereignty challenges related to fishing, particularly in the ORs.
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 7 b (new) Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Recital L b (new) Lb. whereas artisanal fishing, in particular, faces a series of challenges that may be the result of the inconsistent and irregular nature, and sometimes low volumes, of the catch landed by smaller operators, the short shelf life of seafood, and the high demand for a limited range of species;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Recital L c (new) Lc. whereas the ferocious competition from better organised and highly specialised fishing companies, like those from China, is tough for many companies from all parts of Europe, particularly the south;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Deplores the lack of transparency by the Chinese authorities concerning the number of vessels making up its distant- water fleet; is concerned and bewildered that, in the absence of reliable official figures, the various estimates of the size of China
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Deplores the lack of transparency concerning the number of vessels making up China’s distant-water fleet; notes that the total Chinese fishing fleet amounts to
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Deplores the lack of transparency concerning the number of vessels making up China’s distant-water fleet; notes that the total Chinese fleet amounts to almost 27 000 vessels; regrets that the
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Encourages the Commission to support innovation and research to develop monitoring, tracking and geolocation instruments for vessels on the high seas by supporting the implementation of international initiatives designed to coordinate data systems and provide complete, precise data and transparent information on the location, origin and activity of fishing vessels;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Encourages the Commission to require all fishing vessels to have an IMO identification number and to prohibit the use of flags of convenience; calls for public access to information on the beneficial ownership of fishing vessels of all flags; calls on the European Commission to improve its system for identifying vessels engaged in IUU fishing, as provided for in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1184, so that a boat's country of origin can be identified even if its flag state is unclear and so that boats on which human rights violations have been detected are also included;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Asks the Commission to demand more transparency from the Chinese authorities on the fishing activities undertaken by and the fishing agreements entered into by that country’s distant-water fleets; calls on the Commission to launch a catch identification system in cooperation with the PRC, based on the recommendations in the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Catch Documentation Schemes; points out the importance of using all the international tools available in the fight against IUU fishing;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Asks the Commission to demand more transparency from the Chinese authorities on the fishing activities undertaken by and the fishing agreements entered into by that country’s distant-water fleets; notes with concern that the opaque nature of these agreements could encourage IUU fishing and make it difficult for the governments affected and other interested parties to monitor the activities of China's distant-water fleet;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 8 Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Asks the Commission to demand more transparency from the Chinese authorities on the fishing activities undertaken by and the fishing agreements entered into by that country’s distant-water fleets, using all means at its disposal to verify effective enforcement;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Asks the Commission to demand more transparency from the Chinese authorities on the fishing activities undertaken by and the fishing agreements entered into by that country’s distant-water fleets with a view to ensuring that competition is genuine;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Notes the multiplication of fishing agreements between the People
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Notes the multiplication of fishing agreements between the People
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Notes the multiplication of fishing agreements between the People
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Requests that China ratify and implement the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures, as well as other international agreements and treaties designed to combat IUU fishing, and ensure fishing vessels on the high seas follow international marine ecosystem management and conservation measures; invites coastal states to disclose the infringements made and sanctions applied on distant-water fishing vessels;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Requests that China ratify and
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Welcomes the initiative of the Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) to publish, on 10 May 2023, a website containing data on the fishing authorisations granted to EU vessels fishing outside EU waters and non-EU vessels fishing in EU waters; urges the fisheries authorities of third countries and regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) to adopt similar measures;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. the importance of also applying the existing legislative system for EU fleets to fleets from third countries with a view to enforcing the same standards in terms of transparency of fishing activities and traceability of products;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Points out that China had the worst overall score for IUU fishing of the 152 coastal states examined in both 2019 and 2022 for the IUU Fishing Index; notes that although China's fleet is far from the only fleet involved in IUU fishing, it has a far-reaching impact around the world because of its size and global presence;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 a (new) – having regard to the draft agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction of 4 March 2023,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Asks the Member States to strictly enforce EU law on the system for traceability and reporting of catches; wishes to know how many products are caught by Chinese vessels that subsequently enter the EU market;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Asks the Member States to strictly enforce EU law on the system for traceability and reporting of catches and step up customs and port controls; believes that the digitalisation of IUU catch certificates via the CATCH system will reduce opportunities for fraudulent imports and alleviate the administrative burden on Member States; wishes to know how many products are caught by Chinese vessels that subsequently enter the EU market;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Asks the Member States to strictly enforce EU law on the system for traceability and reporting of catches; wishes to know how many products are caught by Chinese vessels that subsequently enter the EU market with a view to preserving public health and preventing the distortion of competition;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Asks the Member States to strictly enforce EU law on the system for traceability and reporting of catches;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Is concerned about the numerous reports from governments and NGOs of IUU fishing by vessels flying a Chinese flag, and alleged IUU fishing by stateless vessels that could be the responsibility of the Chinese authorities and Chinese- owned vessels flying the flag of a third country; points out that these illegal practices include fishing without a licence, fishing for protected species, fishing with prohibited gear, shark finning, failing to declare catches and disabling the automatic identification systems (AIS) used for tracking;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Is concerned about the news regarding the presence of a number of Chinese vessels fishing unchecked in high seas adjacent to the exclusive economic zones of some Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Argentina; points out that the EU fleet operating in these fishing grounds often faces unfair competition for fishery resources, such as Argentine shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) and Patagonian squid (Loligo gahi); believes that the establishment of an RFMO for the South Atlantic would promote the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fishery resources and fair competition at global level, and urges the Commission to cooperate with all the parties involved to work towards this goal;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Is concerned about the news regarding aggressive action by a number of Chinese vessels, such as the attacks on the Spanish fishing vessel 'Playa de Rodas' in February 2020 during which six vessels flying Chinese flags were involved in ramming it, sending death threats to it, and attempting to sabotage and collide with it;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 d (new) 6d. Welcomes the Agreement reached in the United Nations on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, and urges the European Union and China to expedite the procedures to bring it into effect;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Regrets the complex and sometimes arbitrary bureaucratic conditions imposed by the Chinese authorities on certain EU firms that wish to export fishery products to China; calls on the Commission to work with the Chinese authorities to put an end to this situation;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Encourages China and the countries with which it has signed fisheries agreements to strengthen their capacity to monitor, detect, prevent and respond to IUU fishing incidents; suggests that the Commission should
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 13 a (new) – having regard to the report of the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) of 29 November 2022 entitled 'The EU Fish Market – 2022 Edition',
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Encourages China and the countries with which it has signed fisheries agreements to strengthen their capacity to monitor, detect, prevent and respond to IUU fishing incidents; suggests that the Commission should provide technical and financial support to that end;
Amendment 81 #
7. Encourages China and the countries with which it has signed fisheries agreements to strengthen their capacity to monitor, detect, prevent and respond to IUU fishing incidents;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Calls more generally for the fight against IUU fishing to be stepped up in international waters and in the areas covered by authorities of coastal states that do not have sufficient control capabilities; considers that such stepping up can be achieved through joint operations such as PESCAO; notes that navies have specific distant-water capabilities and that some Member States entrust fishing control operations to their navies; stresses that the European fisheries control funding framework should change to allow navies to take part in anti-illegal fishing operations in the areas mentioned, alongside their operations to combat piracy;
Amendment 83 #
7a. Commends the EFCA on its role in the PESCAO project ('Improved regional fisheries governance in Western Africa'), adopted by Commission Decision C(2017) 2951 of 28 April 2017; points out that this project, which includes the goal of strengthening prevention of IUU fishing, is due to end in December 2023; calls on the Commission to extend the project and provide it with additional resources;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Calls on the Commission to initiate, with its international partners, a strategy of monitoring bilateral agreements entered into by China with a view to preventing distortion of competition whether in supply chains or trade.
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 b (new) Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Encourages the Member States to adopt a policy that protects local producers to ensure the EU's food sovereignty and reduce its reliance on imports from China; encourages EU seafood producers to diversify their primary processing partners;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Encourages EU seafood producers to diversify their primary processing partners, while encouraging greater aquaculture production in the EU and urgently eliminating the obstacles to its development that result in dependence on imports;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Encourages EU seafood producers to diversify their primary processing partners, including on non-fishmeal sources;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Stresses that China has considerably increased its
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 15 Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9.
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Stresses that China has considerably increased its imports into the EU by means of autonomous tariff quotas; takes the view that this creates market distortions, such as the wholesale imports in January, that are out of line with the specific demands; observes that these imports have gradually increased from 25 000 tonnes in 2017 to 50 000 tonnes in 2020; notes that the European Court of Auditors has recently observed that Member States’ checks on the legality of imported seafood are uneven; calls on the Commission to ensure that all actors involved commit toward rapid, uniform and global implementation of the CATCH IT system, once its use becomes mandatory EU-wide;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Stresses that China has considerably increased its imports into the EU by means of autonomous tariff quotas; takes the view that this creates market distortions, such as the wholesale imports in January, that are out of line with the specific demands; observes that these imports have gradually increased from 25 000 tonnes in 2017 to 50 000 tonnes in 2020; calls on the European Commission, therefore, to reassess the relevance of those tariff quotas in view of their impact on the European fishing industry and to propose changes or suspension thereto if necessary;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Calls on the European Commission and the Member States to analyse and determine the origin of those quotas before importing them in order to ensure that they are not the product of IUU fishing;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that China subsidises its fleets operating in the exclusive economic zones and on the high seas; recalls that this support takes a number of forms, including direct subsidies (aid for fuel, vessel modernisation and replacement), tax exemptions, insurance premium and loan discounts, etc.; points out, again in the absence of official figures, that Chinese government subsidies to its fishing sector in 2018 are estimated to have totalled USD 7.2 billion, which represented 20% of all global fishing subsidies; stresses that these subsidies have boosted the rapid development of China's distant-water fleet, with the ensuing risk of overcapacity and overfishing; stresses that the recent signing, in June 2022, of the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies should limit the sums disbursed; urges the Chinese authorities to ratify and implement this agreement as soon as possible;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that China as well as other global actors including the EU subsidises its fleets operating in the exclusive economic
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that the intensity of the Chinese fishing fleet’s activities is on the way to depleting stocks, rendering the efforts required of EU-flagged vessels futile; takes the view that the status of targeted stocks should be ascertained with a view to determining the level of exploitation;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that the intensity of the Chinese fishing fleet’s activities is on the way to depleting stocks; takes the view that the status of all targeted stocks globally should be ascertained with a view to determining the level of exploitation; calls on the EU to lead by example;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that the intensity of the Chinese fishing fleet
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that the intensity of the Chinese fishing fleet
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