The conference will be held against the backdrop of the new external dimension of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy which strengthens the EU's international commitment to addressing overcapacity at a global level.

Commissioner Damanaki said the event would help build momentum on tackling the issue: "Overcapacity continues to jeopardise the sustainability of a global industry and the survival of fish stocks. We need to resume the discussions where the international community left them and this conference is a significant step towards achieving this."

Greek Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development & Food, Athanasios Tsaftaris said: "This conference is the opportune moment to take the discussions on fishing capacity management to the next level. The sustainability of fisheries in the EU and abroad is a key issue which will be amongst the Greek Presidency's priorities."

The conference will be attended by high level representatives from third country governments, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, EU Member States, as well as Members of European Parliament.

Further information regarding this event, including the link for the web stream of the event, will be made available on the DG MARE website in due course. Any further questions can be directed to: MARE-B1-CONF-FISHCAP@ec.europa.eu