Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the common fisheries policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC^f1, and in particular Article 45(4) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 43 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 provides for the establishment of Advisory Councils which are to promote a balanced representation of all stakeholders in the field of fisheries and aquaculture and to contribute to the objectives of the common fisheries policy.

In accordance with Article 45(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the Commission adopted Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/242^f2 laying down detailed rules on the functioning of the Advisory Councils under the common fisheries policy.

Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/242 defines, inter alia, the terms ‘sector organisations’ and ‘other interest groups’, which refer to the two categories of stakeholders represented in the Advisory Councils in line with Article 45(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.

It is necessary to further align the definition of the term ‘sector organisations’ to the wording of Article 45(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 to avoid potential interpretative difficulties.

Given that there might be mixed organisations, representing both the fisheries sector and other interests, it is necessary to specify that the general assembly decides on the classification of the members of the Advisory Councils in one of the two categories referred to in Article 45(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.

Article 4 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/242 prescribes the structure and the organisation of the Advisory Councils and in particular the appointment of the executive committee by the general assembly.

In the light of the composition of the Advisory Councils, as defined in point 2(a) of Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, in which 60 % of the seats in the general assembly and the executive committee are allotted to sector organisations and 40 % to the other interest groups, it is necessary to grant both categories the right to decide autonomously on their representation in the executive committee and thus guarantee a balanced representation of all stakeholders in the Advisory Councils,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: