The Administrative Board will adopt the Work Programme and Budget for 2009 and will hold a debate about the multiannual strategy development of the Agency. A new chairman for the Administrative Board will be elected. Marcelo Vasconcelos, holding the chairmainship since the foundation of the Agency, will not continue any longer.
The 2009 Work Programme and budget
The Work Programme needs to be adopted by the 31st of October each year, taking into account the opinion of the Commission and the Member States. It comprises the priorities and duties to be carried out by the Agency for the coming year. Then this programme needs to be validated by the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Member States. Among the decisions to be taken are the adoption of the budget and the work programme to cater for further operational coordination and new services with a view to enhance the application of the Common Fisheries Policy for the next year The budget accompanying the work programme will be presented afterwards to the Community Budgetary authorities, the European Parliament and the Council which will adopt the final amount in the Community budget in December 2008.
As for 2008, the CFCA work programme has been the operational coordination of control and inspection by Member States in relation to the recovery of cod stocks in the Baltic and North Sea and adjacent areas, the bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean sea as well as the preparation of control measures to combat Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing and reduction of discards.
Administrative Board meeting
On the 16th of October 2008, the Administrative Board of the CFCA will hold its 8th meeting, for the first time at the new premises of the Agency in Vigo. In addition, a multiannual planning will be discussed at the meeting in order to provide for a strategic orientation of the Agency for the coming years.
Moreover, indicators providing proper performance assessment will be decided as well at the meeting. Organisational and administrative matters will also be in the agenda in order to ensure the most efficient allotment of resources for the execution of the work programme of the Agency.
Background: The Administrative Board and its Chairman
The Administrative Board is composed of a representative of each of the 27 EU Member States of the European Union and six representatives from the European Commission. The Administrative Board was constituted at its first meeting held on 1 February 2006.The chairperson elected from among the Commission representatives or the deputy chairperson shall convene and chair the meetings of the Board and determine its agenda. According to the procedural rules applicable to the Board, the mandates for the chairmanship come to an end in January 2009. As a consequence, it is necessary to elect a new chairmanship at the meeting of the 16th of October.