EVENTS > CPMR Events

A Hearing organised by the Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup of the European Parliament on “the creation of European Coastguard Service” was held on 22 June 2011 in the presence of several MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, representative organisations and of course, member regions of the CPMR.

Illegal fishing, pollution at sea and border management were the focus of the debates during the Hearing.

Crescenzio RIVELLINI (IT EPP) Member of the EP Fisheries Committee, underlined that 60% of all fish caught in the world is illegal.
With regard to Europe, illegal fishing represents 66% of all fishing in the North Sea, 50% of fishing for tuna and swordfish in the Mediterranean and 30% of cod fishing in the Baltic Sea.

Lowri Evans, Director General of DG MARE, spoke however on the idea of European coastguards by saying that “the European coastguards are the custodians of our seas and they need the best instruments to better accomplish their work.”
Specifically, she proposed the creation of a data sharing system, sectoral and closer cooperation between the member states, the creation of an Agency that could promote this cooperation, an ad-hoc burden-sharing procedure, as well as some programmes that encourage exchanges and training of sailors.

The Seas and Coastal Areas Intergroup is chaired by Corinne Le Page (ALDE FR).