Transparency in the Common Fisheries Policy

The document examines how transparency serves as a compliance mechanism in EU fisheries management. It analyzes the legal obligations of EU institutions and Member States under the Treaty on European Union, the Access to Information Regulation, and the Aarhus Convention, specifically as they apply to the CFP, EMFF, and CMO. The briefing identifies specific publicity and reporting requirements, such as the Union fishing fleet register and MSY progress reports, while recommending greater transparency regarding the names of natural persons receiving EMFF funding and mandatory production method labelling for aquaculture products.

• Transparency is framed as a critical element of the compliance framework for the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), enabling individuals and NGOs to monitor authorities to ensure laws are not violated and public funds are spent legally.
• Fisheries-related information, including scientific data on fish stocks and fishing activities, generally qualifies as 'environmental information' under the Aarhus Convention, meaning it must be accessible to the public with only restrictive exceptions.
• The CFP Regulation establishes transparency as a principle of good governance, specifically requiring the 'appropriate involvement of stakeholders' and 'transparency of data handling'.
• The European Commission is mandated to maintain a Union fishing fleet register with public access, while Member States are responsible for maintaining registers of transferable fishing concessions.
• Under the EMFF, Member States must maintain a list of operations in CSV or XML format, updated at least every six months, to ensure transparency of EU spending.
• There is a discrepancy in transparency between the EMFF and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regarding the publication of names of natural persons receiving funding; the briefing argues the EMFF should align with the CAP's more transparent approach.
• The European Commission has specific annual reporting obligations to the European Parliament and Council regarding the progress of achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and the status of fish stocks.
• The role of Advisory Councils has been strengthened under the new CFP, making it a duty for the Commission and Member States to consult them and take their advice into account, though their membership is still heavily weighted toward the fishing industry.
• Consumer transparency is addressed through mandatory labelling of fishery products, including the scientific name and fishing gear used for wild fish, but the document notes a lack of mandatory production method details for aquaculture products.

APA

Tacconi, F., Luk, S., & Hamilton, H. (2014). Transparency in the Common Fisheries Policy. ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/media/tpcdhgou/2014-11-01-transparency-in-the-common-fisheries-policy-ce-en.pdf

Chicago

Tacconi, Flaminia, Sandy Luk, and Heather Hamilton. Transparency in the Common Fisheries Policy. ClientEarth, 2014. https://www.clientearth.org/media/tpcdhgou/2014-11-01-transparency-in-the-common-fisheries-policy-ce-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tacconi |first1=Flaminia |last2=Luk |first2=Sandy |last3=Hamilton |first3=Heather |title=Transparency in the Common Fisheries Policy |publisher=ClientEarth |date=November 2014 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/tpcdhgou/2014-11-01-transparency-in-the-common-fisheries-policy-ce-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tacconi2014transparency, author = {Tacconi, Flaminia and Luk, Sandy and Hamilton, Heather}, title = {{Transparency in the Common Fisheries Policy}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2014}, month = nov, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/tpcdhgou/2014-11-01-transparency-in-the-common-fisheries-policy-ce-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }