EU - European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA)

Description

The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA, previously CFCA, the Community Fisheries Control Agency) is a European Union body established to organise operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by the Member States and to assist them to cooperate so as to comply with the rules of the Common EU Fisheries Policy in order to ensure its effective and uniform application.

The Agency's mission is to promote the highest common standards for control, inspection and surveillance under the Common Fisheries Policy. EFCA coordinates operations to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in conformity with Community rules. Furthermore, the new Control Regulation establishes that the EFCA is to assist in the uniform implementation of the control system of the common fisheries policy.

In this framework, the EFCA is to assist the European Commission and Member States in the fight against IUU fishing, and in the application of this Regulation. The European Commission has designated the EFCA as the body to carry out certain tasks assigned through Commission Decision 2009/988/EU of 18 December 2009. These tasks include:

  • Transmitting notifications on denials of landing or transhipment authorisations by third country vessels to flag State(s) and, if appropriate, copies of these notifications to Regional Fisheries Management Organizations
  • Providing for the conduct of on-the-spot audits, alone or in cooperation with the Commission, to verify the effective implementation of agreed cooperation arrangements with third countries
  • Communicating to Member States and flag States additional information submitted by the Member States to the Commission which is relevant for the establishment of the European Union IUU vessel list
  • Organisation of training workshops for Member States' authorities for a more efficient and uniform implementation of the IUU Regulation

All the activities organised by the EFCA are closely coordinated with the European Commission and the Member States. A Working Group composed by representatives from all Member States and from the European Commission was established to this end, which steers the activities and discusses future developments.

Source:

http://www.efca.europa.eu/en/content/about-efca

Categories

European Union Institution