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4.67. To address the fast evolution in the organic sector, a new regulation on organic production and labelling was adopted in May 2018. (...) The reform also includes a wider range of products eligible for organic certification , as well as new rules to facilitate the conversion to organic production.

4.73. There are 118 rural development programmes in the 28 member States, with 20 national programmes, and eight member States with two or more regional programmes. Each programme sets targets for the priorities, and at least 30% of funding must be for measures relating to the environment and climate change, and 5% for the LEADER programme, which provides grants for a variety of community-led programmes under the sixth priority on social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas.

4.77. According to the Commission, 45% of funds of all the rural development plans are for improving ecosystems, (...)

Table 4.10 Rural development priorities and focus areas
Priority; % of funds
1. Knowledge transfer and innovation; 3
(...)
1.B. Links between agriculture, food production, forestry, research and innovation, including for the purpose of improved environmental management and performance
(...)
2. Farm viability and competitiveness, and promoting innovative farm technologies and sustainable management of forests; 20
(...)
4. Restoring, preserving and enhancing biodiversity; 45
4.A. Biodiversity
4.B. Water management
4.C. Preventing soil erosion and improving soil management
5. Resource efficiency, and supporting the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors; 7
5.A. Efficiency in water use
5.B. Efficiency in energy use
5.C. Supply and use of renewable energy
5.D. Reducing GHG and ammonia emissions
5.E. Carbon conservation and sequestration
(...)

4.103. Article 3 of the TFEU stipulates that the EU has exclusive competence for the conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and for the conclusion of international agreements. Article 4 of the TFEU stipulates that other fisheries policy areas including responsibility for the implementation of EU rules and for registration of vessels falling under shared competence between the EU and the member States.

4.104. The CFP provides a set of rules for managing European fishing fleets and for conserving fish stocks. The reformed CFP , effective from 1 January 2014, ensures that fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable in the long term, and that they are managed under an ecosystem approach. The fisheries regime is based on three main regulations: the basic regulation on the CFP (Regulation (EU) No. 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council); the common organization of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products (Regulation (EU) No. 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council); and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (Regulation (EU) No. 508/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council).

4.105. (...) However, in the sixth year of the implementation of the CFP, which set the objective of restoring and maintaining fish stocks at sustainable levels by 2020, the EU has been carrying out an overall assessment of the implementation of the CFP through the European Commission's report on the status of play on the CFP as well as a public consultation for preparing proposals on fishing opportunities. (...)

4.106. The CFP covers several instruments managing fisheries. Under it, the multi-annual recovery and management plans continue to play an important role in managing almost all important stocks and fisheries, with clear objectives and rules at the core of the conservation policy. As at August 2019, five new-generation plans were in force (e.g. over-fished species such as cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea). These plans contain, inter alia, the goal for fish stock management (in terms of fishing mortality and/or targeted stock size); the target of fishing at maximum sustainable yield and a deadline for achieving this target; the implementation of the landing obligation; safeguards for remedial action where needed; review clauses; (...)

4.107. The EU has demonstrated its fishing effort management, which is an essential part of ensuring sustainable fishing, one of the main objectives of the CFP. (...)

Table 4.12 Main fisheries management principles/instruments
(...)
The maximum sustainable yield (MSY): The MSY approach aims at restoring and maintaining fish stocks at levels that allow fishermen to catch a maximum proportion of a fish stock without leading to a long term depletion and a reduction in overall yield. An effective MSY approach can be implemented using fishery management instruments such as multi-annual plans and TACs. Under the reformed CFP, member States agreed to set the objective of reaching MSY for all stocks by 2020.
(...)