REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing (the IUU Regulation)
Date: 2024-04-17
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: application of EU law, common fisheries policy, conservation of fish stocks, exchange of information, fishing controls, fishing vessel, illegal fishing, international cooperation, sea fishing, third country

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.4.2024  COM(2024) 171 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing (the IUU Regulation)  
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
AND THE COUNCIL 

on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a 
Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and 
unregulated fishing  

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE 
COUNCIL .............................................................................................................................................. 1 

1. 

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 2 

2.  Progress since the 2020 report ..................................................................................................... 3 

a) 

Implementation of anti-IUU measures within the EU ........................................................... 3 

i)  Changes to the legal basis - revised fisheries control system and amendments to the IUU 
Regulation ................................................................................................................................. 3 

ii)  Dissuasive sanctions .............................................................................................................. 4 

iii)  Implementation of the EU IUU catch certification scheme ............................................... 5 

iv)  Nationals engaging in/supporting IUU fishing ................................................................... 6 

v)  Mutual assistance .................................................................................................................. 7 

vi)  IUU vessel list ........................................................................................................................ 7 

b) 

International IUU governance framework ............................................................................. 7 

i)  Bilateral cooperation with non-EU countries ..................................................................... 7 

ii)  Regional and multilateral cooperation .............................................................................. 10 

c)  Cooperation with stakeholders .............................................................................................. 10 

3.  Main challenges to implementing the IUU Regulation ............................................................ 11 

a)  Within the EU .......................................................................................................................... 11 

b)  Outside the EU ........................................................................................................................ 12 

4.  Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 12 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Introduction 

This  periodic  report  updates  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  main 
achievements  in  the  application  of  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1005/2008  establishing  a 
Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing 
(‘IUU  Regulation’)1.  It  fulfils  the  reporting  requirement  under  Article  55(2)  of  the  IUU 
Regulation  and  is  based  on  submissions  by  Member  States  under  Article  55(1)2,  the 
Commission’s own observations, and its assessment of any relevant information since 20203.  

In  the  14  years  since  the  entry  into  force  of  the  IUU  Regulation,  the  EU  has  come  to  be 
recognised  worldwide  as  a  major  player  in  the  fight  against  illegal,  unreported  and 
unregulated  (IUU)  fishing.  A  ‘zero  tolerance’4  approach  to  IUU  fishing  is  operated  under 
the  EU  control  system  of  the  common  fisheries  policy  (CFP)  and  the  EU’s  updated 
International  Ocean  Governance  agenda5.  The  IUU  Regulation  contributes  to  efforts  to 
eliminate IUU fishing in line with the EU’s commitment to goal 14 of the 2030 Sustainable 
Development Agenda6. 

The  IUU Regulation  is  based on  two pillars: i) the  catch certification scheme, which uses 
traceability to prevent fishery products stemming from IUU fishing entering the EU market, 
and  ii)  the  bilateral  cooperation  with  non-EU  countries,  which  strengthens  fisheries 
governance in non-EU countries and helps them comply more effectively with their regional 
and international obligations.  

The  EU  approach  to  preventing,  detering  and  eliminating  IUU  fishing  is  embedded  in 
international  fisheries  law  and,  in  addition  to  the  IUU  Regulation,  builds  on  the  Control 
Regulation7, 
the 
implementation  in  EU  law  of  measures  established  by  Regional  Fisheries  Management 
Organisations (RFMOs).  

the  Sustainable  Management  of  External  Fleets  Regulation8  and 

This  report  presents  the  main  activities  which  have  helped  meet  the  objectives  of  the  EU 
policy  to  prevent,  deter  and  eliminate  IUU  fishing  during  the  period  2020-2023.  These 
include  legislative  changes  during  that  period,  efforts  to  strengthen  available  tools,  and 
cooperation with key stakeholders. Finally, it identifies the main challenges to implementing 
the IUU Regulation.  

1 OJ L 286, 29.10.2008, p. 1. 
2 Information provided by Member States, covering the periods 2018-2019 and 2020-2021. 
3 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the application of Council 
Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, 
unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, COM(2020) 772 of 9 December 2020, https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0772.  
4 The European Green Deal, COM(2019) 640 of 11 December 2019; EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, 
COM(2020) 380 of 20 May 2020; A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food 
system, COM(2020) 381 of 20 May 2020. 
5  Setting the course for a sustainable blue planet - Joint Communication on the EU’s International Ocean 
Governance agenda, JOINT(2022) 28 final. 
6 https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14#targets_and_indicators.  
7 OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1. 
8 OJ L 347, 28.12.2017, p. 81. 

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2. Progress since the 2020 report 

The  2020  report  announced  that  further  work  would  be  carried  out  to  modernise  the  IUU 
Regulation and strengthen its effectiveness specifically by digitalising the previously paper-
based catch certification scheme. The report emphasised the need to maintain cooperation 
with non-EU countries and support their commitment to tackling IUU fishing. This section 
outlines progress made in both areas.  

In addition, this section reviews work to address the recommendations of the 2022 audit by 
the European Court of Auditors (ECA) on the EU action to combat illegal fishing (the ‘ECA 
special  report).  The  ECA  special  report  contains  recommendations  on  Member  States 
sanctions for  illegal  fishing and control systems  for preventing  the import of illegal  fishery 
products into the EU. 

a)  Implementation of anti-IUU measures within the EU 

i)  Changes to the legal basis - revised fisheries control system and amendments 

to the IUU Regulation  

The  revision  of  the  EU  fisheries  control  system  was  successfully  concluded  at  the  end  of 
20239. The new rules created a more effective and harmonised fisheries control system and 
modernised  the  control  of  fishing  activities  of  both  EU  vessels  and  those  fishing  in  EU 
waters.  

In the context of the revision, targeted amendments to the IUU Regulation laid down a legal 
obligation  to use digital tools  to implement the catch certification scheme and  strengthened 
import controls by improving the traceability of products imported into the EU. 

Enforcement and sanctions 

The  revision  of  the  EU  fisheries  control  system  contributes  significantly  to  harmonise 
enforcement10.  The  enforcement  provisions  of  the  IUU  Regulation  were  revised  in  the 
framework  of  the  Control  Regulation  so  as  to  include  minimum  administrative  financial 
penalties  or  standard  rates  for  certain  serious  infringements  of  the  CFP.  In  addition,  the 
revised  rules  expanded  the  list  of  serious  infringements  and  introduced  infringements 
considered serious under all circumstances. Chapter IX of the IUU Regulation was therefore 
amended  to  ensure  consistency  with  the  new  enforcement  provisions  adopted  under  the 
Control Regulation.  

Mandatory use of digital tools and enhanced traceability  

The amendments to the IUU Regulation adopted in the context of the revision of the fisheries 
control system  introduced the legal  provisions requiring the use of CATCH,  an IT system, 
implementing the EU catch certification scheme. EU importers and Member State authorities 
will  be  required  to  use  CATCH  from  10  January  2026,  leaving  some  time  for  IT 
developments, trainings, promotion and testing.  

9 OJ L, 2023/2842, 20.12.2023, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202302842.  
10 Articles 41-44 of the IUU Regulation. 

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CATCH is an EU-wide real-time IT system allowing all information, data and documents to 
be  managed  centrally.  It  is  intended  to  improve  the  effectiveness  of  the  EU  catch 
certification  scheme  and  will  enable  electronic  submission  of  catch  certificates  and 
documents  accompanying  fishery  products  imported  into  the  EU.  This  will  harmonise  the 
scheme and enhance import controls.  

The amendments to the IUU Regulation also modified the content of the catch certificate and 
accompanying  documents.  The  aim  of  the  amendments  was  to  improve  traceability  and 
controls of fishery products destined for the EU market by gathering additional information 
necessary to correctly identify fishery products, related fishing activities and trade flows.  

Another  important  change  consisted  in  expanding  the  requirement  to  issue  a  processing 
statement to also cover fishery products processed in the same country as the flag State of the 
fishing vessel. This was aimed at strengthening traceability of all consignments entering the 
EU and ensuring correct functioning of quantity management within CATCH.  

The  Commission  has  also  been  empowered  to  develop  secondary  legislation  to  supplement 
documentation  requirements  concerning  the  traceability  of  fishery  products  and  their 
transport to the EU market.  

Although  the  use  of  CATCH  will  be  mandatory  only  for  EU  operators  and  Member  State 
authorities,  it  will  also  be  possible  for  non-EU  country  operators  and  authorities  to  create, 
validate and transfer catch certificates and related documents directly within the system.  

EU risk identification criteria under the catch certification scheme 

Based  on  the  amended  Article  17(3)  of  the  IUU  Regulation,  all  Member  States  must  now 
apply  EU  risk  identification  criteria  when  verifying  imports  under  the  catch  certification 
scheme.  This  will  ensure  a  more  consistent  approach  to  catch  certification  import  controls, 
while drawing on the benefits of automated data cross-check in CATCH. Member States had 
previously  been  able  to  opt  for  national  risk  identification  criteria,  impeding  the 
harmonisation of import controls. 

Additional  measures  in  relation  to  non-cooperating  countries  in  the  fight  against  IUU 
fishing 

Another  amendment  to  the  IUU  Regulation  concerns  Article  38  on  measures  applying  to 
non-cooperating  non-EU  countries,  once  listed  in  accordance  with  Article  33  of  the  IUU 
Regulation. In addition to prohibiting such countries from exporting marine fishery products 
to  the  EU,  new  measures  prevent  fishing  vessels  flying  the  flag  of  such  listed  countries 
from  accessing  EU  ports11.  Moreover,  EU  beneficial  owners  operating  or  owning  fishing 
vessels under the flag of such countries will now have to request their deregistration.  

ii) 

Dissuasive sanctions 

Following  up  on  the  ECA  recommendations  and  the  study  on  sanctioning  systems,  the 
Commission  has  been  working  with  Member  States  on  the  uniform  and  effective 
application of dissuasive sanctions through continued checks and monitoring. Since 2022, 

11 Provisions applicable from entry into force, i.e. 9 January 2024. 

4 

 
 
 
the  Commission  has  launched  15  EU-Pilots  or  other  exchanges  of  letters12  with  Member 
States  regarding  their  sanctioning  systems.  To  address  Member  State  shortcomings,  and 
depending  on  the  outcome  of  the  EU-Pilots,  the  Commission  may  need  to  take  remedial 
measures at a later stage to ensure that sanctioning systems are effective, proportionate, and 
dissuasive.  Those  remedial  measures  might  include  action  plans,  administrative  enquiries 
and/or infringement proceedings. 

iii) 

Implementation of the EU IUU catch certification scheme 

As one of the world’s biggest importers of fishery products, the EU has the responsibility to 
ensure that products stemming from IUU fishing do not reach its market.  

A  total  of  93  non-EU  countries  have  notified  the  Commission  of  their  national  authorities 
empowered  to  attest  the  veracity  of  the  information  set  out  in  catch  certificates  issued  for 
products  exported  to  the  EU  market  (‘competent  authorities’).  Around  400  000  catch 
certificates  and  59  000  processing  statements  were  submitted  to  Member  State  competent 
authorities for imports in 2020-202113. During the reporting period, a total of 93 refusals were 
issued for imports into the EU market of fishery products consignments under the IUU catch 
certification scheme14.  

The  ECA  special  report  reviewed  the  effectiveness  of  control  systems  for  preventing  the 
import of illegal fishery products into the EU. The Commission was recommended to pursue 
the  digitalisation  of  the  catch  certification  scheme,  work  towards  uniform  use  of  risk 
identification criteria, and monitor the scope and quality of checks applied by Member 
States  and  take  necessary  action.  The  amended  IUU  Regulation  addresses 
the 
recommendations on digitalisation and on the uniform use of risk identification criteria. 

In the period 2020-2023, the Commission worked with Member States to improve CATCH, 
through additional technical developments to reflect the amendments to the IUU Regulation. 
Moreover, automated alerts based on data cross-checks were identified in cooperation with 
Member States and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), several of which have 
already been developed. 

The revised provisions of the IUU Regulation include a reference to the interoperability of 
CATCH  with  the  EU  Single  Window  Environment  for  Customs,  established  with  the 
Regulation  (EU) 2022/239915 to  facilitate overall import procedures and import controls  on 
fishery  products.  The  Commission  has  secured  funding  for  this  objective  and  is  currently 
mapping  out  the  technical  specifications  for  the  future  system.  Interoperability  should  be 
achieved  by  10  January  2028  and  will  facilitate  import  procedures  and  fishery  product 
controls beyond the scope of the IUU policy. 

12 In accordance with Article 96 of the Control Regulation. 
13 Article 55(1) of the IUU Regulation. 
14 Information for 2020-2021 provided by means of biennial report under Article 55 of the IUU Regulation. For 
the period 2022-2023, information is based on Member States reports under Article 18(5) of the IUU 
Regulation.  
15 OJ L 317, 9.12.2022, p. 1. 

5 

 
 
 
In order to further facilitate risk management by Member States, the Commission will review 
the EU risk identification criteria16 before the new provisions enter into effect, taking into 
account the statistical features of CATCH.  

As discussed with Member States and EFCA, to help all stakeholders achieve a more uniform 
application of the catch certification scheme,  the Commission replaced the users’ handbook 
for assisting EU operators and authorities with a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) 
published on DG MARE’s website17. 

To  the  same  end,  and  in  cooperation  with  EFCA  and  the  Member  States,  the  Commission 
prepared a guidance document on a common approach to checks and verifications under 
the  current  catch  certification  scheme  and  has  developed  another  guidance  document 
which  includes  more  information  on  the  future  compulsory  use  of  CATCH  by  Member 
States18.  

In line with the recommendation in the ECA special report to monitor the scope and quality 
of  checks  and  verifications  applied  by  Member  States,  the  Commission  revised  the 
questionnaire  for  Member  States’  biennial  reports19  on  the  implementation  of  the  IUU 
Regulation.  Moreover,  the  Commission  has  comprehensively  reviewed  information  from 
Member  States20  on  the  implementation  of  the  catch  certification  scheme  in  their  recent 
biennial  reports.  Based  on  the  information  for  the  period  2022-2023,  the  Commission  will 
consider the most appropriate follow-up actions. 

In  addition  to  providing  information  on  the  catch  certification  scheme,  the  Member  State 
biennal  reports also  informed the Commission of  the results of  port inspections and  direct 
landings  and  transhipments  of  fishery  products  by  non-EU  fishing  vessels21.  During  the 
period 2020–2021, approximately 6 000 non-EU vessels landed fishery products in EU ports, 
of which 1 004 were inspected by Member States. 

iv) 

Nationals engaging in/supporting IUU fishing  

The  Commission  has  carried  out  a  thorough  analysis  of  the  national  legal  frameworks  and 
enforcement  measures  applicable  in  Member  States  regarding  EU  nationals  engaged 
in/supporting IUU fishing. The analysis demonstrated that the obligations set out in Articles 
39 and 40 of the IUU Regulation were not uniformly reflected in the national legal order of 
Member States. From 2017 to 2021, Member States had identified 51 cases of EU nationals 
engaging  in/supporting  IUU  fishing,  sanctioned  47  EU  nationals  and  refused  EU  or  public 
funds  to  79  EU  nationals.22  Furthermore,  there  were  96  cases  where,  through  mutual 

16 Article 31 of Commission Regulation (EC )1010/2009. 
17 https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/document/download/e1e6fa33-6bcb-4352-837c-
9903faef6b6b_en?filename=frequently-asked-questions-iuu-regulation_en.pdf.  
18 https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/document/download/4b92c8f5-9f96-46ec-babc-
3bc880ff4ad3_en?filename=FAQ-amendment-IUU-Regulation_en.pdf.  
19 Article 55(1) of the IUU Regulation.  
20 This assessment includes relevant legal provisions, guidance documents, standard operating procedures, 
manuals and inter-agency cooperation arrangements currently applicable at national level and which the 
Commission is aware of. 
21 Article 55(1) of the IUU Regulation. 
22 https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2771/353964.  

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
assistance,  EU  nationals  engaging  in/supporting  IUU  fishing  were  identified  and  86  cases 
where Member States exchanged information with non-EU countries on this subject23. 

v) 

Mutual assistance 

The Commission maintains close cooperation with the Member States to detect, prevent and 
deter IUU fishing activities, including by analysing reports of suspected IUU fishing carried 
out by non-EU vessels in their waters24.  

The  system  of  mutual  assistance  established  under  Article  51  of  the  IUU  Regulation 
facilitates  cooperation between Member States, the Commission and  non-EU countries. 
The  system  helps  ensure  that  IUU  fishing  is  properly  investigated  and  sanctioned.  It  has 
enabled  information  to  be  exchanged  on  an  ongoing  basis,  specifically  alerts,  intelligence, 
and  the  results  of  investigations  into  presumed  IUU  fishing  activities.  Between  2020  and 
2023, the Commission sent 61 alerts to Member States to request information, indicate areas 
of possible risk and provide  guidance on the verifications  of imports.  Active use of mutual 
assistance has led to refusals of imports of fishery products obtained by IUU fishing. 

vi) 

IUU vessel list 

Each  year,  the  Commission  adopts  the  updated  EU  list  of  IUU  vessels  based  on  RFMO 
lists25. The Commission also actively contributes to RFMO listings of IUU vessels based on 
intelligence, own investigations, and assessments. 

b)  International IUU governance framework 

Given the global repercussions of IUU fishing, the EU places great emphasis on continuous 
cooperation and commitment to proactive and rigorous action by all partners at international, 
regional and national levels. IUU fishing is also one of the challenges identified in the revised 
EU  maritime  security  strategy26,  with  countermeasures  set  out  in  its  accompanying  action 
plan.  During  the  reporting  period,  the  Commission  continued  to  actively  cooperate  with 
international  partners,  through  bilateral  cooperation  with  non-EU  countries  under  the  IUU 
dialogues, IUU working groups and regional and multilateral cooperation frameworks. 

i) 

Bilateral cooperation with non-EU countries 

The Commission has continued to interact with and support a number of non-EU countries in 
achieving  fundamental  reform  of  their  fisheries  control  systems.  During  the  reporting 
period and despite the travel restrictions caused by the COVID19 pandemic, the Commission 
conducted more than 30 field visits and videoconferences with non-EU countries which enjoy 

23 Ibid.  
24 More than 1 300 sightings of foreign fishing vessels were reported by Member States in 2020-2021. Sightings 
reported  by  three  Member  States  are  excluded  from  this  total  for  two  specific  reasons.  In  the  case  of  one 
Member  State,  385  sightings  were  reported  without  specifying  whether  these  concerned  non-EU  country  or 
Member State vessels. In the case of two Member States, sightings were reported that only concerned vessels 
from other Member States. Information based on Member State reports covering 2020-2021 in accordance with 
Article 55(1) of the IUU Regulation. 
25 OJ L 181, 18.7.2023, p. 16. 
26 Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council on the update of the EU Maritime Security 
Strategy and its Action Plan "An enhanced EU Maritime Security Strategy for evolving maritime threats", 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52023JC0008.  

7 

 
 
 
active cooperation with the EU under the IUU Regulation. In addition, 17 meetings of IUU 
working groups were held over that period. 

Political ownership of reforms has proven crucial to bringing fishery control systems into line 
with  international  and  regional  obligations.  In  general,  non-EU  countries  with  which  the 
Commission  enjoys  cooperation,  have  demonstrated  strong  political  will  to  tackle  IUU 
fishing  and  remedy  the  shortcomings  jointly  identified.  Experience  shows  that  persistent 
political leadership and guidance can achieve lasting results in fisheries compliance. 

•  IUU dialogues 

Dialogues on IUU fishing with non-EU countries is one of the pillars of the IUU Regulation. 
Whether  the  Commission  decides  to  engage  in  an  IUU  dialogue  with  a  non-EU  country 
depends  on  a  series  of  indicators  assessing  that  country’s  compliance  with  its  international 
obligations as a flag, coastal, port and market State and its exposure to IUU fishing.  

The  IUU  Regulation  establishes  the  a  ‘carding  system’,  empowering  the  Commission  to 
notify  a  non-EU  countries  of  the  risk  of  being  identified  as  a  non-cooperating  in  the  fight 
against  IUU  fishing  (pre-identification  or  ‘yellow  card’)27.  At  this  stage,  the  Commission 
engages in a formal IUU dialogue with the pre-identified country and establishes cooperation 
based on an action plan.  

Since  the  end  of  2020,  one  counrty  has  had  its  yellow  card  lifted  following  significant 
reforms of its fisheries sector. In the same period, two yellow cards were issued, establishing 
a formal dialogue to address the shortcomings identified28. 

In cases where a pre-identified country fails to resolve its shortcomings, thus disregarding its 
international  obligations,  the  Commission  can  identify  it  as  non-cooperating  in  the  fight 
against  IUU fishing  (‘red card’)29. Contrary to  pre-identification, which does not  entail  any 
sanctions, this procedure leads to serious consequences, including trade bans. Member States 
must refuse imports of wild marine fishery products caught by vessels flying the flag of the 
non-cooperating country. 

Once a country has been identified, the Commission will propose to the Council to include it 
in  the  list  of  non-cooperating  non-EU  countries  (‘listed  countries’).  This  ‘listing’  entails 
measures  beyond  import  bans  and  includes  banning  EU  operators  from  purchasing  fishing 
vessels from  these  countries  or reflagging  to  such countries, banning exports of EU fishing 
vessels,  banning  private  trade  agreements  with  EU  nationals  and  prohibiting  joint  fishing 
operations with  EU  vessels. Since their entry into force on  9 January 2024,  these measures 
include  a  prohibition  to  use  EU  ports  by  fishing  vessels  from  listed  countries  and  a 
prohibition for EU nationals  from owning, operating or managing fishing vessels flying the 
flag of these countries. 

27 Article 32 of the IUU Regulation. 
28 https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-11/illegal-fishing-overview-of-existing-
procedures-third-countries_en.pdf.  
29 Articles 31 and 33 of the IUU Regulation.  

8 

 
 
 
Since  the  end  of  2020,  two  red  cards  have  been  issued,  and  the  corresponding  countries 
included in the Council’s list of non-cooperating non-EU countries in the fight against IUU 
fishing30.  

The IUU dialogue process has provided a framework for countries to enhance their national 
legal frameworks and align them with their international obligations as flag, coastal, port and 
market  States.  In  addition,  the  non-EU  countries  involved  have  worked  towards  improving 
their  monitoring,  control  and  surveillance  systems,  both  with  respect  to  vessels  flying  their 
flag  and  foreign  vessels  fishing  in  waters  within  their  national  jurisdiction.  Effective, 
proportionate and dissuasive sanctions are also part of the reforms pursued through the IUU 
dialogues, which in turn have enabled non-EU countries to effectively enforce their national 
legislation and, subsequently, combat IUU fishing.  

•  IUU working groups with non-EU countries 

Several  bilateral  IUU  working  groups  have  been  established  with  major  fishing  countries. 
They  meet  at  least  once  a  year  and  are  a  platform  for  providing  regular  updates  on  new 
developments  in  fisheries  control,  exchange  of  best  practices  and  lessons  learnt  when 
implementing  national  legislation.  They  also  provide  updates  on  catch  documentation 
schemes, RFMOs as well as information on trade flows. 

Since the last reporting period, the Commission has continued its cooperation  through such 
working  groups  with  the  United  States  of  America,  Japan,  China,  the  Republic  of  Korea, 
Taiwan and Thailand.  

•  Impact of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU 

On  1  January  2021,  the  UK  became  a  non-EU  country  for  the  purposes  of  the  IUU 
Regulation.  The  Commission  arranged  for  the  notification  to  be  issued  in  good  time  to  the 
Member  State  competent  authorities  for  validating  catch  certificates  for  exports  of  fishery 
products to the UK and engaged with the UK authorities to secure continued trade flows of 
fishery products to and from the UK. The Commission provided regular guidance to Member 
States to help avoid problems with implementation.  

Based  on  the  provisions  of  the  Windsor  Framework31,  which  forms  part  of  the  Withdrawal 
Agreement32,  the  IUU  Regulation  also  applies  to  and  in  the  United  Kingdom  in  respect  of 
Northern  Ireland.  To  respond  to  the  challenges  that  had  emerged  in  implementing  the 
Northern  Ireland  Protocol,  the  Commission  and  the  UK  reached  a  political  agreement  on  a 
comprehensive  set  of  joint  solutions  aimed  at  addressing  the  practical  challenges  faced  by 
citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland, thereby providing them with lasting certainty and 
predictability. As a result, fishery products can move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland 
for  end  consumption  subject  to  the  new  simplified  certification,  labelling  and  control 
requirements applicable to retail agri-food goods. 

•  Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) 

30 Ibid.  
31 OJ L 102, 17.4.2023, p. 87. 
32 OJ C 384I, 12.11.2019, p. 1. 

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At the end of 2023, the EU had 20 SFPAs33 in place with partner countries in the Atlantic, 
Indian  and Pacific Oceans, of which 14 had active protocols  allowing for fishing  activities. 
The sectoral support component of SFPAs assists IUU policy objectives through capacity-
building programmes and training, and by seeking to develop control systems and ensure they 
function correctly. This has a positive spillover on the fight against IUU fishing.  

To  ensure  the  coherence  of  the  external  dimension  of  the  common  fisheries  policy,  the 
Commission  proposes  the  denunciation  of  any  SFPA  with  a  non-EU  country  listed  by  the 
Council in accordance with Article 38 of the IUU Regulation.  

ii) 

Regional and multilateral cooperation  

In line with the external dimension of the common fisheries policy, the EU plays an essential 
role in promoting anti-IUU measures based on EU principles and standards within RFMOs. 
Central to this are EU efforts to support, update and enforce the cross-listing of IUU vessels 
between RFMOs and provisions sanctioning nationals involved in IUU fishing. By its nature, 
the  cross-listing  of  IUU  vessels  ensures  de  facto  a  unique  global  system  through  which 
vessels  are  impeded  or  prevented  from  illegally  taking  advantage  of  different  or 
uncoordinated regulatory systems at the same time.    

As  regards  the  implementation  of  the  FAO  Agreement  port  state  measures  (PSMA),  the 
Commission continued to actively promote its ratification and effective implementation in all 
external fisheries relations, including through financial support to the FAO. The Commission 
also  played  an  active  role  in  negotiating  and  adopting  clear  voluntary  guidelines  on 
transhipments  within  the  FAO.  Furthermore,  the  Commission  was  pivotal  in  bringing  the 
WTO  negotiations  on  fisheries  subsidies  to  a  conclusion  on  the  matter  of  eliminating 
subsidies which contribute to IUU fishing, as set out in SDG target 14.6.  

During  the reporting period,  the EU  was the principal donor to  the  FAO’s  Global  Capacity 
Development  Programme  to  help  non-EU  countries  implement  the  PSMA.  The  EU  also 
provided support to Africa and the Indo-Pacific region to contribute to the development 
and management of sustainable fisheries. This included support to build their capacity to 
combat IUU fishing. In particular, the EU committed EUR 35 million to Pacific ACP states 
under the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership, EUR 28 million to the Indian Ocean 
region  under  the  ECOFISH  programme  and  EUR  16.5  million  for  West  African  nations 
under the Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa Programme. 

In  2023  the  EU  joined  the  IUU  Fishing  Action  Alliance  pledge,  which  provides  another 
coordination  platform  among  participating  partners  to  ensure  that  the  fight  against  IUU 
fishing  remains  a  priority  at  the  international  political  level.  The  Pledge  reflects  the  main 
principles of the EU policy and outlines actions that the Commission can carry out based on 
the IUU Regulation. 

c)  Cooperation with stakeholders 

To enhance coordination and improve implementation of the IUU Regulation across the EU, 
the  Commission  organises  regular  technical  meetings  with  the  Member  States  authorities. 

33 https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/international/agreements_en. 

10 

 
 
 
These  provide  a  forum  to  exchange  best  practices  and  discuss  issues  encountered  in  the 
application of the catch certification scheme. The purpose of the discussions is to ensure that 
the CATCH system is user friendly and includes all necessary features.  

The  Commission  has  continued  to  cooperate  with  the  European  Parliament,  including 
through regular briefings to the PECH Committee on ongoing actions to tackle IUU fishing. 
These exchanges help ensure accountability within the EU and are conducted“in camera” to 
maintain confidentiality regarding IUU dialogues with non-EU countries.  

The Commission also continued to cooperate with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) 
to  support  implementation  of  the  IUU  Regulation  by  sharing  information  on  cases  of  IUU 
fishing and of information relevant to the IUU dialogues. The Commission also liaises with 
the Advisory Councils established under the CFP and provides regular updates on ongoing 
work to develop the CATCH system and on the IUU dialogues. 

3. Main challenges to implementing the IUU Regulation 

a)  Within the EU  

One  of  the  main  challenges  facing  the  Commission  is  to  lay  the  groundwork  so  that  the 
amended IUU Regulation can be implemented effectively, in particular the mandatory use 
of  the  CATCH  system,  scheduled  to  come  into  effect  on  10  January  2026.  Work  to  adapt 
CATCH to the new legal requirements has already started and should be finalised well before 
that  date.  This  should  leave  time  to  trainin  Member  State  and  non-EU  country  competent 
authorities,  finalise  user  handbook,  identify  non-EU  country  authorities  interested  in  using 
CATCH, and continue working on interoperability.  

To  ensure  consistency  with  the  new  legal  provisions,  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1010/200934 will need to be revised. New provisions should be adopted to lay down the rules 
on the functioning of the CATCH system.  

In addition, the Commission has already started work on interconnecting CATCH with the 
EU Single Window Environment for Customs which is due to be completed by 10 January 
2028.  Their  interconnection  will  help  further  facilitate  and  strengthen  the  consistency 
between IUU, customs and sanitary controls of fishery products imported into the EU. 

The  Commission  will  also  follow-up  cases  of  serious  shortcomings  identified  in  the 
application  of  controls  under  the  catch  certification  scheme  by  the  Member  States  and  will 
continue to actively guide them in order to achieve greater harmonisation of import controls. 

Finally,  on the implementation  of Articles 39 and 40 of the  IUU Regulation  with  regard to 
EU  nationals  engaging  in/supporting  IUU  fishing,  the  Commission  will  continue  working 
with  Member  States  to  harmonise  and  facilitate  the  procedures  in  place  to  identify  such 
nationals and promote consistency in possible enforcement measures across Member States. 

34 OJ L 280, 27.10.2009, p. 5. 

11 

 
 
 
b)  Outside the EU  

The main challenge to implementing the external dimension of the IUU Regulation remains 
garnering  sufficient  political  support  in  partner  countries  to  align  their  national  rules  with 
international obligations and implement them effectively. 

Within RFMOs, the challenge facing the Commission remains reaching  consensus on anti-
IUU  measures  among  contracting  and  cooperating-non  contracting  parties,  particularly  as 
regards  cross-listing  IUU  vessels  between  RFMOs.  The  Commission  has  witnessed 
increasing  resistance  in  those  organisations,  whose  decision-making  is  generally  based  on 
consensus,  to  strengthening  the  control  of  fishing  activities  and  improving  transparency  on 
beneficial ownership of fishing vessels.  

The use of flags of convenience can prevent the exercise of flag State responsibilities under 
international law. This issue has been at the forefront of the Commission’s work with non-EU 
countries and has become the subject of bilateral IUU dialogues with several countries. The 
Commission  has  launched  a  study  to  identify  the  drivers  for  various  economic  and  public 
actors supporting open registers. The study will also analyse the effects of open registers on 
the  EU’s  objectives  and  international  rules  and  frameworks  in  key  policy  areas,  namely 
fisheries,  good  tax  governance,  safety  and  environmental  protection,  social  and  labour 
conditions, as well as evasion of EU sanctions. 

4. Conclusion 

The  IUU  Regulation  has  continued  to  provide  a  comprehensive  and  effective  framework 
for  combating  IUU  fishing  within  the  EU.  It  achieves  this  by  preventing  fishery  products 
originating  from  IUU  fishing  from  entering  the  EU  market  and  by  boosting  efforts  to  fight 
IUU fishing worldwide through the IUU bilateral dialogue mechanism and within multilateral 
forums. 

The  carding  system  under  the  IUU  Regulation  has  become  an  internationally  recognised 
tool  for  progressing  the  fight  against  IUU  fishing  and  attracting  more  political  attention  to 
this issue around the world.  

The time has now come to digitaise the catch certification scheme and exploit its potential to 
prevent  fishery  products  stemming  from  IUU  fishing  entering  the  EU  market.  CATCH  can 
become  a  reference  point  as  a  digital  environment  for  catch  documentation  schemes  and 
international trade flows of fishery products due to its web-based approach and considerable 
interoperability potential.   

To deliver on our commitments under the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030  and truly 
operate  a‘zero-tolerance’  approach  to  IUU  fishing,  it  is  in  the  EU’s  interest  to  promote  the 
catch certification scheme, the carding system and the systematic cross-listing of IUU vessels 
between RFMOs as strong tools in the fight against IUU fishing. Alongside this, efforts are 
also  required  to  close  governance  gaps  at  national  and  regional  levels  and  strengthen  the 
capacity of non-EU countries to fight IUU fishing. 

12