Past Events

Public hearing | 10:00 - 13:00 On 21 January 2025, the EESC will hold a public hearing in the context of the exploratory opinion requested by the European Commission on Civil society's vision for a European Oceans Pact. The aim of the hearing is to gather input from civil society organisations and contribute to the development of a strategic and comprehensive approach to the ocean.

Links:

• Livestream link here

The Council will aim to reach a political agreement on two Commission proposals on fishing opportunities. These are the proposal covering fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and the North Sea for 2025 and, in the case of some stocks, also for 2026, and the proposal on fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas.

This public hearing aims to get a closer insight at how the collection, evaluation and assessment of fisheries data is organised and how the scientific advice leads to political decisions on EU fisheries management, in particular regarding the establishment of fishing opportunities and technical measures.

The hearing’s agenda includes:

1. Welcome word by the PECH Chair MEP Ms. Carmen Crespo Diaz (Spain, EPP)
2. Data collection in the Member States for scientific advice
3. Scientific advice for sustainable management of the fisheries and marine resources
4. Preparation of legislative proposals for quotas and monitoring their implementation
5. Concluding remarks by MEP Mr. André Rodrigues (Portugal, S&D)

Links:

• Livestream link here
• Link to hearing's programme

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗲𝗮? - Discuss, explore and propose with us. 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 working in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, at the Baltic Coast Dialog workshop on 𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦 (MPAs). We will discuss the environmental, social, and economic impacts of bottom trawling and propose steps to address its regulation in MPAs from the Baltic Sea.

• When: 29.11.2024 from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm Where:  Berlin, Germany

How to participate: in person or online, but be sure to register here, as there are limited spaces available.

Links:

• Register here
• Agenda

Links:

• Register here

Links:

• Agrifish

The hearing for Mr. Kadis will be followed by a meeting in which the Chairs of the Committee and group representatives (coordinators) will evaluate the performance of the Commissioner-designate they just heard. After the completion of the evaluation process, the Conference of Committee Chairs will assess the outcome of all hearings and forward its recommendation to the Conference of Presidents. The latter will exchange views and decide whether to close the hearings in its meeting on 21 November; it will also decide to place the vote on the College as a whole on the plenary agenda.

Links:

• Commission's announcement
• Commissioners-designate
• Live streaming

The hearing for Ms Roswallwill be followed by a meeting in which the Chairs of the Committees and group representatives (coordinators) concerned will evaluate the performance of the Commissioner-designate they just heard. After the completion of the evaluation process, the Conference of Committee Chairs will assess the outcome of all hearings and forward its recommendation to the Conference of Presidents. The latter will exchange views and decide whether to close the hearings in its meeting on 21 November; it will also decide to place the vote on the College as a whole on the plenary agenda.

Links:

• Commission's announcement
• Commissioners-designate

HELCOM Working Group on Ecosystem-based Sustainable Fisheries (WG Fish) deals with fisheries in relation to the implementation of the ecosystem approach. Moreover, the group works on finding solutions about how the fisheries sector could further contribute to reaching Good Environmental Status of the Baltic Sea. WG Fish involves representatives from fisheries and environment authorities of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as EU, and HELCOM Observers and others as appropriate. By adopting the Baltic Sea Action Plan, the HELCOM Contracting Parties recommended that all fisheries management should be developed and implemented based on the ecosystem approach in order to enhance the balance between sustainable use and protection of natural marine resources.

Links:

• https://helcom.fi/helcom-at-work/groups/fish-group/