Mr Werner Kuhn, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Fisheries (PECH) of the European Parliament, has visited the European Agency for Fisheries Control (EFCA) for a two-day meeting (20-21 February 2017). The delegation included a group of parliamentary representatives formed by Mr José Blanco, Ms Norica Nicolai and Mr Marco Affronte, Mr Francisco Millán, Ms Lidia Senra, as well as advisors from the political groups.
The visit consisted of an analysis of the main activities carried out by the Agency and an exchange of views on present and future challenges. They were also informed of the developments of the enhanced cooperation with Frontex and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in the framework of the Coast Guard undertaking. The Executive Director of EFCA, Pascal Savouret, spoke about this new contribution and responsibilities provided by the recent amendment to the Agency’s founding regulation, which have led to a significant increase of EFCA resources.
The members of the European Parliament (MEP’s) welcomed gaining insight into the operational activities of the Agency, its systems and the monitoring of the landing obligation. Pascal Savouret noted that, according to the final data of 2016, the Agency coordinated almost 19,500 inspections, an increase of 2.500 compared to the previous year.
The visit provided a unique opportunity for the MEPs to hear detailed information on how the coordination of control systems within the EU is advancing in a positive way, as Mr Werner Kuhn stated.
The European Parliament is the only directly-elected body of the European Union. The 751 Members of the European Parliament are there to represent the European citizens. They are elected once every five years by voters right across the 28 Member States of the European Union on behalf of its 500 million citizens. The European Parliament delivers legislative, budgetary and supervisory powers.
