Speech at the EURDODOM General Assembly
Commissioner Damanaki delivered a speech on the outermost regions during the General Assembly of EURODOM (Europe & French Outermost Regions) in Brussels. On this occasion, numerous representatives of fisheries organisations and presidents of regional Committees for Fisheries had travelled to Brussels to take part in the General Assembly. Commissioner used this opportunity to exchange views with these professional of outermost regions fiheries and underlined the advantages which the new Common Fisheries Policy will bring for these regions.
Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear Members of the European Parliament,
Thank you very much for inviting me to your General Assembly today. I am delighted to have this opportunity to present to you the advantages which the new common fisheries policy will bring for the outermost regions.
Earlier this year I visited Madeira and the Azores. The conditions that fishermen have to work with - the remoteness, the isolation, the climate and the distance from the European mainland – this all really made an impression on me. What also impressed me is the fact that the Azores and Madeira are actually ahead of us when it comes to deep sea trawling. This fishing method has been phased out by these two regional governments already years ago. These two outermost regions are using other fishing methods for deep sea fish and they are successful. Overall the professionalism of the fishing industry there is remarkable. I am sure the same is true for the fishermen working in your regions.
Despite the objective harshness of the job, I am convinced that there is a future for the fishing industry in the outermost regions. Let me inform you that when we were still in the planning phase of the reform of our policy, we have met many representatives from various outermost regions – mainly thanks to your organization Eurodom: this has helped us to understand the shortcomings you have and I could make sure that the new system caters for the peculiar needs of your regions.
So what is in the CFP reform for your regions? Let's come to the concrete details. Well I am going to start with the money as there is this saying "L'argent fait tourner le monde".
First, I have proposed to increase the budget for the compensation regime for fish and fisheries products for your regions by 50 %.
Second, on top of this budget increase, I also proposed that the outermost regions should benefit from a higher aid intensity – up to 35 % higher than other European regions.
Third, we extended the compensation regime for fisheries products to cover all the additional costs that fishermen, fish farmers and retailers incur. Everything from production to putting the products on the markets can now receive compensation. This includes shipping products to the European mainland, but also trading fisheries products between the outermost regions. And this can be financed up to 100% by money from the EU, without the need for outermost regions to chip in.
Fourth, we extended this compensation regime, so that it covers not just French Guiana and Reunion like at present, but all the French outermost regions including our youngest child Mayotte.
Fifth, I also know that you are very keen to have the possibility to finance operational costs through State aids. I would like to inform you today that I understand this request and my services are looking into this.
Sixth, all outermost regions can have in the future a 100-mile exclusive access regime. This means only vessels from your regions can fish there.
Seventh, we set up an advisory committee that is specific for the outermost regions. This means that you too will have a forum to meet and discuss how to best manage fisheries in the outermost regions and to give us advice for our policy.
Eight, in the EMFF we have proposed to fund also associations like ARIPA, the interprofessional association between fisheries, processors and distributors of La Réunion.
Ninth, after meeting with some of your representatives earlier this year I have come to understand how important it is for you to receive financial aid for anchored fish aggregating devices in coastal areas. Again here I can inform you that I have instructed my services to look at this favourably.
And beyond these measures we have of course horizontal measures that benefit both the outermost regions and the European mainland. There are many measures designed to directly benefit the fishermen. Let me give you some concrete examples. We have proposed to finance improving safety, hygiene and working conditions on board fishing vessels. I want to fund partnerships with scientists to help increase knowledge of fishermen and to receive support from scientists. We also want to compensate fishermen that participate in activities to protect and restore marine biodiversity and ecosystems. We want to help your fishermen with marketing measures to get more added value from their products. Another important subject is the young fishermen's entrance into the profession. We need to recognize that young don't want to enter a business which is extremely hard work, dangerous and where income can fluctuate so much. I want to give a positive signal to all regions that want to attract the young into fisheries and support aid to young fishermen to buy a second hand vessel with a maximum of 15% of the price of the vessel and 50 000 €.
Finally I want to promote training and lifelong learning, exchanging ideas of best practise and promote social dialogue for fishermen as a profession. And since I am mentioning the social dialogue, something else comes to my mind. We actually have a total mismatch between the vast number of small scale fishermen we have in Europe and their representation. 80% of the vessels are small scale so below 12 meters and not using towed gear and only 20% are large scale vessels. But over the years I have come to see that small scale fishermen do not have their own associations. And when I met with fishermen's association - to be frank – they did not represent the views of small scale fishermen. This is why I am convinced that small scale fishermen, be they in the outermost regions or in mainland Europe need to organise themselves in order to have a voice. We need their input for our policy.
Furthermore we must not forget another important facette of European Fisheries, namely aquaculture. The Commission communication of April this year is promoting aquaculture. One of its main emphasis is administrative simplification: we are currently undertaking – in close cooperation with Member States and the sector – an exercise in assessing different licensing procedures in different countries, with the aim of identifying best practices. I look forward to your contribution also in this exercise.
All in all, I think that the reform of the common fisheries policy and the new fund offer a great opportunity for the outermost regions to contribute to the European effort for economic recovery and to develop their fishing sectors in a balanced way.
Let me now say some words on the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy. The Outermost Regions should aim to reap the full benefits of the policy tool-box that the EU has in place, in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy. Our Integrated Maritime Policy seeks to increase the coordination between different policy areas, for example research, transport, environment and others, that relate to industries and human activities centred on the sea. I want to encourage you to embrace the Integrated Maritime Policy, because it will help Outermost Regions develop the growth and job-creating potential of the "blue economy".
In the context of the Integrated Maritime Policy I have put forward a number of initiatives relevant for your regions. Of special importance for Outermost Regions in the Atlantic is the Action Plan for the Atlantic Ocean area. This plan proposes actions that should be implemented through the targeted use of EU structural and investment funds and Horizon 2020. We want to promote innovation, contribute to the protection and improvement of the Atlantic's marine and coastal environment, improve connectivity and create synergies for a socially inclusive and sustainable model of regional development. In 2014 my services will launch a study to see in more detail how exactly the measures under the Atlantic Strategy can be applied to the outermost regions.
At the same time the Commission is pursuing a wider "blue growth" agenda that is of special relevance for your regions. It identifies specific areas with a particular potential for growth. For some of these areas, for example coastal tourism, ocean energy, aquaculture, blue biotechnologies and sea bed mining, your regions have unique assets and growth potential, owing to their location and natural characteristics.
Let me in the end close by honouring Aimé Césaire, poet and politician from Martinique as we are meeting in the year of the 100th anniversary of his birth. With this politician the outermost regions have brought forward such an important figure feeding history. I hope that you will do me the honour to help us feed the future by participating in the policy discussions on both the Common Fisheries Policy and the Integrated Maritime Policy.
Thank you.
