There is no EU legislation on the aquaculture sector at present, and it continues to be covered by a plethora of EU legislation and national rules which can vary significantly between states, creating a legal framework lacking in transparency and discriminatory situations and market distortions that do little to encourage investment in the sector. The Commission adopted an initial communication in 2002, which was the subject of a European Parliament legislative resolution o
f January 2003, has failed to increase the transparency of the regulatory framework. On the contrary, the Commission and Council have continued to adopt, often via the
...[+++] comitology procedure, detailed rules applicable to aquaculture (organic and otherwise), in respect of which Parliament has had no opportunity whatsoever to voice a direct opinion. The recent Commission communication of April 2009 which forms the subject of this report therefore provides the chance to assess the appropriateness of introducing a specific EU framework for the aquaculture sector, with the ultimate objective remaining the structured development of a sustainable European aquaculture industry which respects environmental balances, increases the economic worth of aquaculture operators and their local communities and offers consumers more guarantees.
La récente communication de la Commission d'avril 2009, sur laquelle porte le présent rapport, constitue par conséquent une nouvelle occasion d'examiner l'opportunité d'un cadre communautaire spécifique pour le secteur de l'aquaculture, l'objectif final demeurant le développement organisé d'une aquaculture européenne durable, respectueuse des équilibres environnementaux, qui valorise le rôle économique des opérateurs de ce secteur et des communautés locales auxquelles ils appartiennent et offre plus de garanties aux consommateurs.
