European Commission Daily News – 5 April
Fisheries: Commissioner Vella presents EU contingency plans to help mitigate the impact of “no-deal” Brexit on fisheries
Today, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella presented contingency measures to mitigate the impact on fisheries in case of a “no-deal” Brexit. The acts, tabled by the European Commission in January, have been agreed by Member States and the European Parliament at the end of March, in record time. Underscoring that the EU stands shoulder to shoulder with its fishermen, the Commissioner explained that the Commission has taken measures to mitigate the impact on fisheries in case of a “no-deal” Brexit. The first preparedness measure amends the Regulation on the Sustainable Management of the External Fleets, with the aim of creating the appropriate legal framework for continued reciprocal fishing access by EU and UK vessels to each other’s waters during 2019, provided the UK grants such access for EU vessels. The second measure allows fishermen and operators from EU Members States to receive compensation for the temporary cessation of fishing activities, due to Brexit, under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. This will help to off-set some of the impacts of a sudden closure of UK waters to EU fishing vessels. (For more information: Enrico Brivio – Tel.: + 32 229 56172; Stephan Meder – Tel.: +32 229 13917)
TRADE: Commission reports on latest negotiating rounds with Indonesia and Mercosur
As part of its transparency commitment implemented since the beginning of the current Commission mandate, the European Commission today published two reports summarising the progress made during the latest negotiating rounds for the EU-Indonesia and EU-Mercosur trade agreements. The seventh round of negotiations with Indonesia, that took place in Brussels from 11 to 15 March, brought about good progress across the board, particularly on the chapters on sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, rules of origin and investment. The chapters on trade remedies and customs are now close to completion at technical level. The next round will be held before the summer in Indonesia. For more information see the full report available online. The latest round of negotiations for a trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur took place from 11 to 15 March in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at experts and chief negotiators level. The negotiations covered trade in goods, specific rules applicable to wines and spirits, rules of origin, government procurement, intellectual property including geographical indications, rules in respect of state-owned enterprises and subsidies. For more information see the full report available online. (For more information: Daniel Rosario – Tel.: +32 229 56185; Kinga Malinowska – Tel: +32 229 51383)
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