Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, is the fisheries policy of the European Union. It was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every ten years, the most recent in 2002. The next review is formally scheduled for 2012. On 21 April 2009, the European Commission published a Green Paper on future reform of the CFP in order to launch a consultation with member states and stakeholders and to initiate a broad public debate on future CFP reform. A summary of this consultation process will be published in 2010. It will be followed by a legislative proposal to the Council and the European Parliament to be adopted in 2011, with a view to its entering into force in 2012. It is clear that every aspect of the CFP is up for review and will require detailed attention.

An exchange of views on the Green Paper will take place at the next Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 25 May 2009. The Green paper identifies five structural failings of the current policy, namely, fleet over-capacity, imprecise policy objectives, a decision-making system that is focused on the short term, a framework that does not give sufficient responsibility to industry, and a culture of poor compliance. It goes on to focus on improving the management of EU fisheries, and issues such as supporting coastal communities, relative stability and marketing are raised. Other areas covered include aquaculture, financial support and externalities. I welcome the Commission's Green Paper on the reform of the CFP and acknowledge the importance of the process we are embarking on, which will culminate in the shaping of the strategic blueprint for the European fishing industry for the next decade.

In the current economic climate, we need a policy that simplifies and reduces the administrative burden and, at the same time, strengthens and supports the industry's capacity to maximise employment in coastal communities dependent on fishing. This will be a key objective for Ireland. We will pursue initiatives that deliver and sustain jobs in coastal communities rather than those that promote the concentration of wealth and delivery of excessive profits for a small number of large international businesses. The Minister, Deputy Smith, has already outlined these priorities for Ireland at last month's Agriculture and Fisheries Council and he intends to address them in greater details at next week's Council on 25 May.

It is critical that we have a broad and in-depth review of the policy that takes account of the views of all interested stakeholders. The CFP review has been on the agenda at several formal and informal meetings with industry, most recently at the Sea Fisheries Consultative Council meeting on 7 May. The Federation of Irish Fishermen, FIF, has indicated its intention to pursue a process to develop its position in the matter and I await the result of its deliberations. I intend to engage in a parallel process of consultations with all stakeholders, including the FIF, to inform Ireland's position on the review.

See this speech in context