CFP is bad enough - Allister
10 July 2007
During a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on a proposed maritime policy for the EU, Jim Allister MEP attacked a further handover of powers to Brussels. Citing Brussels control of fishing, through the Common Fisheries Policy, as an unmitigated disaster for the UK, Mr Allister cautioned against EU control of the totality of maritime policy.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
"Much can sound plausible about a maritime package, but what I fear about a maritime policy for the EU is that it will be used by the Commission to grab powers to control every facet of life, events and activity at sea. Considering the unmitigated disaster which the existing competence of the EU in fisheries policy has been for the UK, under the iniquitous Common Fisheries Policy, I have little confidence that anything better will result from delivering the totality of maritime affairs to the EU.
Excessive regulation, stifling controls and witless directives will, I fear, result.
Indeed, even on fisheries what I read in this report is a blueprint for driving more fishermen out of employment, under the guise of further restricting effort through a so called precautionary approach."
