Press Release: Fisheries Reform: Commission proposes Regional Advisory Councils to give stakeholders a bigger say

The European Commission adopted on 20 October 2003 a proposal setting out a common framework for Regional Advisory Councils (RACs). The creation of RACs is one of the main pillars of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), agreed by the Council in December 2002. The aim of these innovative bodies is to strengthen dialogue by increasing the involvement of stakeholders in the CFP decision-making process. Furthermore, it strives to build mutual trust between the scientific community and the fishing industry by increasing transparency and fostering dialogue in the provision of scientific advice on the state of the fish stocks. The RACs will give advice and recommendations to the Commission or the Member States and inform them of problems relating to the implementation of the CFP in the region they cover.