“Our proposal invites Member States to apply a precautionary approach to reverse the worrying situation of declining deep-sea fish stocks”, said Commissioner Karmenu Vella, responsible for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. “It is in our shared interest to ensure that we have healthy fish stocks in deep-sea waters, for the sake of our fishermen and coastal communities, their livelihoods and for our marine ecosystems. Evidence also shows that sustainable fish stocks go hand in hand with a thriving industry.”

The majority of deep-sea species are highly vulnerable and take a long time to mature. The Commission’s proposal is based on precautionary scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), and takes into account the obligation for fishermen to bring to land all catches as of 1^st January 2019. The proposal reduces the catch limits in seven fish management areas compared to 2017-2018 levels, including for alfonsinos and black scabbardfish. Fishing for orange roughy will remain prohibited.

At the same time, positive scientific advice concerning red seabream around the Azores and roundnose grenadier in South Western waters, has allowed the Commission to propose increased quotas for these species over the next two years.

The Commission also proposes to cancel the TAC management system for three species (greater forkbeard in the North-East Atlantic, roundnose grenadier in the North Sea and black scabbardfish in the North Sea and Skagerrak), as they are fished in small quantity which does not prevent them from reproducing.

The scientific advice for deep-sea sharks was delivered on 5 October and is currently being analysed. The Commission will complete the current proposal in view of its adoption by EU Member States in the Council, currently scheduled for 19-20 November.

Background

Deep-sea fisheries account for less than 1% of all fish caught in the North-East Atlantic. Over the years, fishing activity and associated jobs have been declining together with deep-sea stocks. At the same time, data on the structure of the stocks, age classes or frequency of young fish recruitment are often difficult to gather because of the deep-sea marine environment. Scientific advice recommends applying the precautionary approach to these stocks. The goal is to improve the state of stocks and allow for fishing at Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), the level that allows the fishing industry to take the highest amount of fish from the sea while keeping fish stocks healthy.

Fishing for deep-sea species has been regulated by the European Union since 2003.

For further information

Map of fishing areas

Total Allowable Catches

Annex: TACs proposal for each deep-sea species

* The scientific advice for deep-sea sharks has been delivered on 5 October 2018 and is currently being reviewed.

** TAC management cancellation:

– for black scabbardfish in the North Sea and Skagerrak (ICES subareas of 1,2,3 and 4) due to low quota uptake and no targeted fisheries

– for roundnose grenadier in the North Sea (ICES subareas 1,2 and 4), following ICES advice that this would pose no risk of unsustainable exploitation

– for greater forkbeard (ICES subareas 1-10, 12 and 14), following ICES advice that removing these TACs would pose a low risk of unsustainable exploitation

On the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU) reiterate their strong opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances and for all cases. The death penalty is an affront to human dignity. It constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and is contrary to the right to life. The death penalty has no established deterrent effect and it makes judicial errors irreversible.

All EU and Council of Europe member states have abolished the death penalty. Abolition in law or practice is a pre-condition of Council of Europe membership and the absolute ban on the death penalty in all circumstances is entrenched in both Protocols No 6 and No 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. We call on those European states that have not yet done so to ratify them.

We also reiterate our call to the authorities in Belarus, the only country on the European continent still using the death penalty, to introduce a moratorium as a decisive step towards aligning the country with pan-European standards.

On a global level, the Council of Europe and the EU will continue to work towards the abolition of the death penalty. We will support the upcoming Resolution of the UN General Assembly on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty and the EU and Belgium will host the 7^th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Brussels at the end of February 2019.

Pending the introduction of a moratorium, the Council of Europe and the EU urge those countries still applying the death penalty to commute any remaining death sentences to prison terms and, in any case, to ensure that conditions of detention respect human dignity. In line with international law, those countries shall not carry out executions on minors, on pregnant women, or on people with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, using the death penalty on people convicted of economic crimes, on people who are themselves victims of serious crimes such as marital rape and whose acts – motivated by genuine self-defence – result in the incidental death of another person cannot be justified. Member states should refrain from supporting, through mutual legal assistance or other forms of co-operation, the drug policies of countries where drug offences may be sanctioned with the death penalty.

Member states should continue taking effective measures to prevent their involvement, however indirect, in the use of the death penalty by third countries, such as by adopting measures that prevent the trade in goods that could subsequently be used to carry out executions. In this context, the Council of Europe and the EU will continue promoting the “Global Alliance to end trade in goods used for capital punishment and torture”.

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Today’s updates include DVC data and calculations for the period of 1 September 2017 to 31 August 2018 as well as updates to already published DVC periods. 

The number of new breaches is 69: 57 equities for the 8% cap, applicable to all trading venues, and 12 equities for the 4% cap, that applies to individual trading venues. Trading under the waivers for all new instruments in breach of the DVC thresholds should be suspended from 11 October 2018 to 10 April 2019. The instruments for which caps already existed from previous periods will continue to be suspended.

In addition, ESMA highlights that some trading venues in the meantime have submitted corrected data that affects past DVC publications. For a total number of 3 instruments, this means that previously identified breaches of the 8% and 4% caps proved to be incorrect. For these instruments, the suspensions of trading under the waivers should be lifted.

As of 8 October, there is a total of 652 instruments suspended.

Please be aware that ESMA does not update DVC files older than 6 months. In other words, suspensions that were expected to be triggered in the past months due to the publication of the DVC results in the files related to the periods 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017, 1 February 2017 to 31 January 2018 and 1 March 2017 to 28 February 2018 cannot be lifted anymore.

In addition, the “Expected suspension end date” for suspensions that are active as of 8 October 2018 has been changed whenever the suspension period was equal to 6 months and 1 day. The suspensions are expected to start before 8:00 am CET on the “Suspension start date” and terminate at the close of trading day on the “Suspension end date”.

Background
MiFID II introduced the DVC to limit the amount of dark trading in equities allowed under the reference price waiver and the negotiated transaction waiver. The DVC is calculated per instrument (ISIN) based on the rolling average of trading in that instrument over the last 12 months.

Overview of the main subjects to be discussed at meetings of the Council of the EU over the next two weeks.

Environment Council, Tuesday 9 October 2018

Environment ministers will aim to reach a general approach on CO2 standards for cars and vans, and will hold a policy debate on CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles. The Council is due to adopt conclusions on climate change and on biodiversity.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Justice), Thursday 11 October 2018

The Council is expected to adopt a general approach on the directive on insolvency, restructuring and second chance. It will also discuss the e-evidence package, as well as the issue of mutual recognition in criminal matters and the implementation of the EPPO regulation.

Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home), Friday 12 October 2018

Home affairs ministers are expected to discuss Commission proposals on the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and on returns. They will also exchange views on the Multiannual Financial Framework in the area of home affairs. The Presidency is expected to report on progress on asylum reform.

Foreign Affairs Council, Monday 15 October 2018

The Foreign Affairs Council will discuss Libya, the external aspects of migration and the Central African Republic. Over lunch, foreign ministers will have a discussion on Venezuela.

Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Monday15 October 2018

The Council is due to agree on the 2019 TACs and quotas in the Baltic Sea, and have an exchange of views on the 2019 EU-Norway consultations and the ICCAT annual meeting. The Council will also discuss a progress report on the CAP strategic plans and be informed about the G20 meeting of agriculture ministers and African swine fever.

General Affairs Council, Tuesday 16 October 2018

Ministers will focus on preparations for the October European Council, the next Multiannual Financial Framework and Article 7(1) TEU proceedings concerning Poland and Hungary.

General Affairs Council (Art.50), Tuesday 16 October 2018

EU27 ministers will prepare the European Council (Article 50) of 17 October 2018.

European Council (Art.50), European Council & Euro Summit, Wednesday-Thursday 17-18 October 2018

At the October summit heads of state or government will discuss Brexit, migration, internal security, external relations and euro zone reform.

Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), Thursday-Friday 18-19 October 2018

The 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) will address the two topics of connectivity and support for multilateralism under the heading “Europe and Asia: global partners for global challeges”.

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