Sittings · Document
OPINION (2024/2108(INI)) 2025-07-16
On the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
Committee on Fisheries · Rapporteur: Isabelle Le Callennec
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on Fisheries submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:
Amendment 1
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 2021 establishing the Brexit Adjustment Reserve1a (BAR Regulation), | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OJ L 357, 8.10.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1755/oj. |
Amendment 2
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, known as the Montego Bay Convention1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OJ L 179, 23.6.1998, p. 1. |
Amendment 3
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the ruling of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the matter of an arbitration pursuant to Article 739 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the decision of the United Kingdom to prohibit fishing for sandeel in English waters of the North Sea and in all Scottish waters1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Permanent Court of Arbitration, Case 2024-45, https://pca-cpa.org/en/cases/334/. |
Amendment 4
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ja. whereas, on 19 May 2025, the European Union and the United Kingdom adopted a political agreement leading to full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 20381a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Commission statement, ‘A renewed agenda for European Union – United Kingdom cooperation Common Understanding’, 19 May 2025, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_25_1267. |
Amendment 5
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| L. whereas it is the general assessment of the Commission that the TCA is a modern and comprehensive agreement, reflecting the EU’s interests on trade and cooperation, while, at the same time, preserving the red lines that were established by the EU institutions and the Member States during the UK’s withdrawal process; whereas for the years 2021 to 2024, the Commission, in its annual implementation reports, established that, overall, the trade arrangements for goods and services established in the TCA have functioned well, despite minor implementation issues; | L. whereas it is the general assessment of the Commission that the TCA is a modern and comprehensive agreement, reflecting the EU’s interests on trade and cooperation, while, at the same time, preserving the red lines that were established by the EU institutions and the Member States during the UK’s withdrawal process; whereas for the years 2021 to 2024, the Commission, in its annual implementation reports, established that, overall, the trade arrangements for goods and services established in the TCA have functioned well, despite serious implementation issues, in particular on fisheries; |
Amendment 6
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| M. whereas under the TCA, service suppliers or investors from the EU must not be treated any less favourably than UK operators in the UK and vice versa; whereas the non-discrimination principle applies to a wide range of economic activities, including the provision of services, the establishment of businesses, and the protection of intellectual property rights; | M. whereas under the TCA, service suppliers or investors from the EU must not be treated any less favourably than UK operators in the UK and vice versa; whereas the non-discrimination principle applies to a wide range of economic activities, including the provision of services, the establishment of businesses, the protection of intellectual property rights, and fisheries activities; |
Amendment 7
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11. Notes with satisfaction the effective functioning of the TCA joint bodies; calls for the continued transparency of their work; | 11. Notes with satisfaction the effective functioning of the TCA joint bodies; calls for the continued transparency of their work; calls for the Commission to share with Parliament the minutes of the sectorial specialised committee meetings in due time, as well as any documents on agreements reached, and to keep Parliament informed of, associated with and involved in ongoing political and technical discussions on a more regular basis; |
Amendment 8
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11a. Calls on both parties to maintain an open dialogue at the highest political level; notes with approval the EU-UK Summit that was held in London on 19 May 2025; calls for such a summit to be held annually; |
Amendment 9
Motion for a resolution
Sub-subheading (new) (after subheading ‘Fisheries’ of the draft report)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| On the implementation of the ‘Fisheries’ heading of the TCA |
Amendment 10
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31. [opinion-giving committees]; | 31. Takes note of the Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on the implementation of the TCA, in particular the points on the ‘Fisheries’ heading; |
Amendment 11
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31a. Welcomes the improved cooperation between the parties in the annual negotiations on total allowable catches (TACs), which resulted in a timely agreement in 2023 and 2024 enabling the application of provisional TACs to be avoided, thus ensuring clarity and predictability for the fisheries sector as regards the fishing opportunities for the following year; |
Amendment 12
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31b. Deplores the instability caused by Brexit in international fisheries relations with coastal states, which makes it more difficult to achieve a balance in the sharing arrangements and to exchange fishing opportunities; notes with concern the fact that some coastal states are taking advantage of this instability by unilaterally and unjustly trying to increase their fishing opportunities, to the detriment of those of the EU; recalls the importance of respecting historic fishing rights; calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and coastal states to achieve sustainable management of shared fish stocks, greater stability and predictability on fishing quotas, in particular in the context of annual consultations and trilateral arrangements; |
Amendment 13
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31c. Recalls that the UK has introduced a fishing licence system for EU vessels to access its waters; notes that this system has significantly delayed the effective implementation of the TCA, as the UK has added many prerequisites to the granting of such licences, penalising in particular vessels under 12 metres in length, which were fishing historically in UK territorial waters, but have had difficulty proving their presence in UK waters; deeply regrets that this situation has led to many small-scale vessels not being issued licences, which has forced them to relocate to other areas or cease their activities, thereby adding to the negative situation and adverse effects caused by other additional costs and bureaucratic burdens associated with Brexit; regrets, furthermore, the fact that the TCA has rendered null and void the Granville Bay Treaty, which, until Brexit, governed fishing in the waters of Jersey; recalls, finally, that the issue of the global ceiling for licences issued by Jersey has still not been fully resolved, leaving some fishers very uncertain about their fishing activities in the waters of the Crown Dependencies; |
Amendment 14
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31d. Recalls that, in accordance with Article 496 TCA, management and technical measures that may have an impact on the vessels of the other party must be notified sufficiently in advance to allow the other party to comment or seek clarification; stresses that such measures must be proportionate, non-discriminatory and based on the best available scientific advice, and must take into account long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability; regrets the fact that impact studies are not systematically carried out with equal participation of stakeholders from both parties and in good faith; |
Amendment 15
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31e. Regrets the fact that the UK has unilaterally implemented numerous fisheries management measures, notably of a technical nature, including bans on certain fisheries, the introduction of minimum catch sizes for certain species, the closure of fishing in marine protected areas (for example in the Dogger Bank), and the establishment of wind farms, resulting in a drastic reduction in EU vessels’ access to UK fishing grounds and resources, particularly in the six to twelve nautical miles zone; regrets the fact that these measures, and those in the social field, have a greater impact on EU vessels than on British vessels, with socio-economic repercussions for the EU fishing industry and particularly for small-scale fishers; is concerned that this type of measure could ultimately exclude EU vessels from entire fishing zones, calling into question EU fishing rights in British waters; |
Amendment 16
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 f (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31f. Calls on the Commission to carry out comprehensive and systematic assessments of the social, economic and environmental impacts of these measures, including in the Crown Dependencies, in order to determine whether they are proportional and non-discriminatory, and, where appropriate, to firmly react and use the dispute settlement mechanism or the retaliation measures provided for in the TCA, including compensatory measures such as the suspension of preferential tariff treatment granted to fishery products, as well as all other political and diplomatic means at its disposal; |
Amendment 17
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 g (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31g. Welcomes, in this regard, the final decision of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the dispute between the European Union and the United Kingdom on the decision to close the sandeel fishery in the English waters of the North Sea and in Scottish waters; notes that the Tribunal, in this specific case, considered that there was no breach of the principle of non-discrimination, and that the measure was scientifically based; stresses that the Tribunal found that the ban on sandeel fishing in English waters breaches the principle of proportionality under the TCA and that the United Kingdom has failed to fulfil its obligation to grant full access to its waters for sandeel fishing; recalls that the UK is obliged to take the necessary measures to comply with the decision of the Arbitration Tribunal; considers that this decision provides an important legal precedent for safeguarding EU fishing rights and for responding to future similar measures taken by the UK; calls for the Commission to continue to closely monitor unilateral measures taken by the UK to ensure compliance with the TCA; |
Amendment 18
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 h (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31h. Is concerned that unilateral measures have a chain effect on the economic and social viability of the EU fisheries sector and value chain; expresses, furthermore, its concerns that restricting access to UK waters is leading to a transfer of the fishing effort to the Channel and the North Sea, with increased pressure on TAC and non-TAC species; highlights the fact that the increased use of EU waters has consequences in terms of security and maritime space management, but also in terms of access to resources, especially for small-scale fisheries, calling into question the social, economic and environmental sustainability of fishing activities; |
Amendment 19
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 i (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31i. Calls for both parties to swiftly address the increased pressure in the Channel and the North Sea by proposing a regional management plan to guarantee sustainable exploitation of resources and multiannual fisheries management; reminds the Commission, in this regard, of the North Sea multiannual plan rules, which also cover these waters, and believes that they should be adapted if needed to align any possible discrepancies and ensure legal clarity for the operators and the Member States; |
Amendment 20
Motion for a resolution
Sub-subheading (new) (after paragraph 31 i (new) of this opinion)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| On the end of the adjustment period |
Amendment 21
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 j (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31j. Calls for both parties to respect the principle laid down in Article 500 entitled ‘Access to waters’, to ensure a mutually satisfactory balance between their respective interests; recalls that access to the waters, including the six to twelve nautical miles zone, must be reciprocal and proportionate to the TACs or average catch levels of the other party; calls on the Commission to fully implement this article and develop within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries the necessary guidelines to facilitate its practical application; |
Amendment 22
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 k (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31k. Stresses that the TCA sets out a review clause providing for a review in 2030 to strengthen and codify the implementation of the TCA, taking into account that this clause cannot be used to reduce the level of access to waters; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to make every effort to ensure predictable, continued and increased access to waters in the coming years; |
Amendment 23
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 l (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31l. Welcomes the political agreement reached on 19 May 2025 between the European Union and the United Kingdom, in particular the renewal of reciprocal, stable and continued access to waters until 30 June 2038; welcomes the fact that fisheries held a significant place in these recent negotiations; encourages both sides to maintain a pragmatic and mutually beneficial approach in future negotiations; |
Amendment 24
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 m (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31m. Welcomes the fact that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries formalised the political agreement; calls on the Commission to be vigilant in implementing this new agreement, including on access to the six to twelve nautical miles zone, in particular for French small-scale and coastal vessels; |
Amendment 25
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 n (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31n. Reiterates that reciprocal and continued access to waters and fisheries resources must be maintained as a key part of the relations between the EU and the UK and must, therefore, be dealt with in conjunction with other parts of the TCA, such as trade, access to the internal market of fishery products and energy cooperation; |
Amendment 26
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 o (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31o. Notes that the TCA provides for a gradual reduction by 25 % of the EU’s TACs in UK waters during the transitional period until the end of 2026; stresses that this reduction was a huge sacrifice for EU fishers and has had a considerable impact on EU fisheries, leading to fleet exit plans and the loss of vessels; welcomes the fact that, after 2026, fishing opportunities will be maintained at least at this level and will not be called into question; |
Amendment 27
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 p (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31p. Regrets the lack of data or studies on the impact of Brexit; calls on the Commission to fully assess the repercussions of the adjustment period on the entire EU fisheries sector value chain; |
Amendment 28
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 q (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31q. Stresses that the TCA provides for the possibility of considering the development of multi-year strategies for the conservation and management of TACs and non-quota stocks; calls for both parties to work towards greater stability and predictability in fishing quotas and to ensure sustainable management of stocks in the North Sea and North-East Atlantic for the fishing sectors of both parties; |
Amendment 29
Motion for a resolution
Sub-subheading (new) (after paragraph 31 q (new) of this opinion)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| On EU-UK fisheries governance and cooperation |
Amendment 30
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 r (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31r. Stresses the importance of stronger and more stringent cooperation between the EU and the UK, not only on fisheries and marine protected areas management, but in general on maritime spatial planning, as well as on technical, control, customs and sanitary measures involving all bodies, including the Specialised Committee on Fisheries; calls for both parties to improve the functioning and transparency of governance bodies ensuring prior discussion ahead of setting measures, which should be based on sound scientific and socio-economic bases and should be neither discriminatory nor liable to prevent the actors concerned from reaching the quotas allocated to them; |
Amendment 31
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 s (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31s. Calls on the Commission to be particularly vigilant that the conditions set and the agreed terms are complied with and to strongly respond if the UK were to act in a discriminatory manner; encourages, furthermore, the Commission, within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries, to adapt customs, sanitary and control constraints for landings by the vessels of one party on the territory of the other party, for example by putting in place a joint control plan between the UK and individual Member States, provided that equivalent guarantees of traceability and conformity of seafood products are given; stresses the need to secure logistical circuits for both imports and exports, by removing obstacles linked to the absence of health and customs controls in certain ports; |
Amendment 32
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 t (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31t. Deplores the increasing number of infringements committed by UK vessels in EU waters; calls on the Member States’ authorities to strengthen maritime surveillance capacities, increase controls and apply appropriate sanctions; |
Amendment 33
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 u (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31u. Calls for the parties to ensure the coherence, compatibility and interoperability of their control measures, including the remote electronic monitoring and camera systems put in place in order not to add an excessive administrative or financial burden, and not to deviate unreasonably from one another; reiterates that both parties should be in close dialogue with sector representatives before adopting these measures; |
Amendment 34
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 v (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31v. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries has met nine times since the entry into force of the TCA; regrets, however, the lack of transparency and accountability of this body; requests that members of Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries be involved in and invited to attend the meetings to allow for proper scrutiny, and that meeting documents and the minutes be shared as soon as possible; |
Amendment 35
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 w (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31w. Calls for the European Union and the United Kingdom to strengthen their efforts to promote the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, to increase cooperation and exchanges of good practices to improve selectivity and reduce the impact of certain fishing, and to fully implement the ecosystem-based approach; |
Amendment 36
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 x (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31x. Calls for both parties to reinforce their cooperation and coordination at international level, within the framework of regional fisheries management organisation or with coastal states on shared fish stocks management; highlights the need for the EU and the UK to intensify their cooperation in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to support the actions needed to eradicate it in all international forums, with special attention paid to strengthening rules on the transparency and traceability of imported seafood products; |
Amendment 37
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 y (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31y. Reminds both parties of the need for greater cooperation in their actions regarding maritime spatial planning, particularly with regard to conflicts between offshore windfarm projects and conservation objectives or with the fisheries sector; calls for a balanced approach between all interests concerning the use of maritime space, which should weigh environmental, economic and social dimensions, ensuring consistency and fairness across sectors; |
Amendment 38
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 z (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31z. Calls for joint efforts by both parties to develop scientific research and exchange best practice in order to identify and remove ammunition from the seafloor; |
Amendment 39
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 aa (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31aa. Calls for all the parties to ensure that the issuing of licenses and authorisations for EU vessels to fish in UK and Crown Dependencies waters is carried out without administrative, taxation or financial hurdles; |
Amendment 40
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 ab (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31ab. Calls on the Commission, given the specific situation of the Channel Islands, to facilitate collaboration between the parties through better links between regional dialogue and the Quad Meeting; calls for the parties to involve representatives of the fisheries sector, all relevant stakeholders, and local and regional authorities, and to promote the fisheries co-management model; |
Amendment 41
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 ac (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 31ac. Recalls that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) was established to counter the economic, social, territorial and environmental consequences of Brexit; recalls that this EUR 5.4 billion fund was intended to benefit the fisheries sector, including small-scale fisheries, which were disproportionately impacted by Brexit; recalls that the BAR Regulation required the Commission to inform Parliament and the Council on the state of play of the implementation process by June 2024; regrets the fact that the Commission has not provided any information on the matter so far; requests that, before the end of 2025, Parliament and the Council be informed on the state of play of the BAR implementation process; |
ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| Comité national des pêches maritimes et des élevages marins (France) |
| Comité régional des pêches des Hauts-de-France |
| Comité régional des pêches de Bretagne |
| Comité régional des pêches de Normandie |
| Région Hauts-de-France |
| Représentation de la région Bretagne à Bruxelles |
| Représentation de la région Normandie à Bruxelles |
| Union des armateurs à la pêche de France |
| Direction générale des affaires maritimes, de la pêche et de l’aquaculture (France) |
| Représentation permanente de la France auprès de l’UE |
| Ministère de la transition écologique, de la biodiversité, de la forêt, de la mer et de la pêche (France) |
| 2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies(3) |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
| Date adopted | 16.7.2025 | |
| Result of final vote | +: –: 0: | 22 0 3 |
| Members present for the final vote | Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Asger Christensen, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Ton Diepeveen, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Siegbert Frank Droese, France Jamet, Nora Junco García, Isabelle Le Callennec, Isabella Lövin, Giuseppe Lupo, Francisco José Millán Mon, Jessica Polfjärd, André Rodrigues, Sander Smit, António Tânger Corrêa, Emma Wiesner, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, Željana Zovko | |
| Substitutes present for the final vote | Sebastian Everding, Idoia Mendia, Piotr Müller, Rasmus Nordqvist |