MaltaMedia.com

For the past months Malta has been participating actively at an EU level in the intense negotiations on the European Commission’s proposal for a new fund for the EU’s maritime and fisheries policies for the period 2014-2020 (the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund – EMFF).

This fund is intended as the main tool to drive the implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to foster Europe’s fishery’s transition to sustainability. The fund is required to reflect the Union’s social, economic and environmental ambitions for the fisheries sector. Moreover, in addition to the promotion of sustainable practices and the fostering of the implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy, the fund needs to sustain growth; food supply and employment.

Malta strongly insists that resources should be channelled to where they are most required, and more importantly, where they can be most effective in attaining the required higher levels of sustainability.

Malta did not support the general approach adopted at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of this week (22-23 October 2012) as this general approach does not include the allocation criteria. These will now be discussed at a later stage. In this regard Malta’s position is clear and consistent. Malta believes that the criteria should support the ambition of the Common Fisheries position for higher sustainability, and it insisted on 3 important points at the Council meeting