The new EU Control Regulation is moving rapidly towards adoption by the Council of Ministers in October, raising fears that this hectic timetable will result in a botched job.
The Commission is “desperate” to get the new legislation on the statute books before the Lisbon process brings co-decision making with the European Parliament. With around 109 articles covering everything from e-logbooks to recreational fishing, this piece of legislation has the capacity to affect the operations of every vessel in the fleet.
We know from bitter experience that rules devised and agreed in this kind of hothouse atmosphere often turn out to be seriously flawed. Discussions in Brussels on the latest compromise document will begin on 10th September and conclude on the 18th September. The NFFO has arranged a meeting with Defra officials on 2nd September to discuss the central issues.
