language version - Europa

COMMON FISHERIES POLICY
In 1970 the EEC established equal access to Member State fishing
zones for all fishermen, while reserving a coastal strip for
the activities of local fishermen. It created Community market
bases for fisheries products and a structural policy designed
to modernise the fishing fleet and its infrastructure. In 1976,
in line with international trends, the Member States extended
their restricted zone for exploitation of marine resources from
12 to 200 miles. Even though Member States recognised the
importance of transferring to the Community fisheries management
and the task of representing
them in international negotiations, the
1981 enlargement meant that the creation
of the CFP was postponed until
1983.
The CFP was initially closely linked to
agricultural policy, and this is still the
case in the Treaties. However, the specific
content that it has acquired in the
course of successive reforms has differentiated
it from the CAP. Since fish
populations ignore national borders
and are dependent on shared marine
ecosystems, the CFP confers on the
Community extensive competences
as regards the management of natural
marine resources.
The CFP possesses a panoply of instruments
of very different kinds, but
these instruments have not always
been interlinked in an optimum way, and the hoped-for synergies
have suffered. The CFP was reformed in 2002 with a
view to ensuring sustainable development of fishing activities
from an environmental, economic and social perspective.
The decision-making process was modified by basing it
on scientific opinions and involving it more closely with the
fisheries sector and with non-governmental organisations
within regional advisory councils (RACs). The 2002 reform
also sought to make the policy consistent with European
environment and development policy. Despite the reform,
virtually no improvement has been seen in terms of the
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