The meeting  this week considered two MPA proposals – a proposal by Australia, France and the European Union for a network of MPAs in East Antarctica  and another one by  New Zealand-United States on the Ross Sea region. Together with other CCAMLR members the EU had been working very hard to prepare for this meeting and to ensure that CCAMLR would live up to its commitments made in 2009 to establish a representative network of MPAs  by 2012. She said: "It is a shame that the large support for the protection of these areas was blocked by a few. This is a step backwards and puts at stake the reputation of an organisation that has always been one of the frontrunners in the sustainable management of marine living resources. I do hope that this missed opportunity will be repaired soon”.