John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy with particular reference to the basic regulation, common organisation of the mackerel and the fisheries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23453/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Common Fisheries Policy is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years. The Commission published its proposals for the reform of the CFP in July 2011 involving a basic policy regulation and a proposal on the Common organisation of the market (CMO). In December 2011, the EU Commission published its proposals on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). All the proposals are subject to negotiation and adoption through the co-decision process involving both the EU Fisheries Council and the EU Parliament.

The Danish Presidency is currently seeking to secure Council agreement on General Approach on the basic Regulation and this proposal has been the subject of intensive discussions at the Fisheries Councils in March and April. Further discussions are planned at the Fisheries Council next Monday with a view to agreeing a General Approach at the June Fisheries Council. The Danish Presidency is also working to secure Council agreement on General Approach on the proposal on the common organisation of the market also at the June Fisheries Council. The Danish Presidency has indicated that it will not be seeking to secure a General Approach during its Presidency on the EMFF. The EU Parliament is also working to deliver its position on each of these proposals at present. I will prioritise securing final agreement between the EU Fisheries Council and the Parliament on all these proposals during the Irish Presidency during the first half of 2013.