Last week the Fisheries Committee exchanged views with Jānis Dūklavs , Latvian Minister of Agriculture, on the priorities during the Latvian Presidency for the first half of 2015.
Minister Dūklavs told the Fisheries Committee that his top priority is to putt the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) into practice, where he will put special focus on competitiveness and sustainability. He hopes that a fast agreement can be reached on the landing obligation regulation, in order for the discard ban to fully work. Progress on the multi-annual management plans, in order to establish maximum sustainable yields for all stocks will also be among the priorities of this semester.
During the meeting the Fisheries Committee asked Mr Dūklavs to elaborate and give more details on how he planned to resolve the dispute between the Parliament and Council on the legal basis of the multiannual management plans. Mr Dūklavs replied “the legislators would have to build on the results achieved so far by the inter-institutional task force, and that the Baltic Sea multiannual plan, if agreed upon, could become an example for future management plans”.
About the Presidency
The presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) rotates among the EU Member States every six months with the country holding the presidency driving the Council’s work forward. The EU Council is an essential decision maker which together with the European Parliament (EP) adopts legislation and coordinates EU policies.
“Presidency is an opportunity for each Member State, regardless of its size or the length of the membership, to influence the EU agenda and guide the EU endeavours. Latvia for the first time is assuming this task from 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2015 taking it over from Italy and afterwards handing over the reins of the presidency to Luxembourg”.