The New EC Regulation on Illegal Fishing: Implications for ACP Countries

On 29 September 2008, the Council of the European Union adopted EC No. 1005/2008 ‘establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing’. This new IUU Regulation, scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2010, is intended to regulate the highly complex multi-channel fisheries supply system of the European Community (EC). The passage of the IUU Regulation is part of the efforts by the EC to strengthen its regional fisheries enforcement framework and international commitment to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The impending implementation of the IUU Regulation has a number of potential fisheries trade and developmental implications for members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). This issue of Commonwealth Trade Hot Topics highlights some of these concerns.