The Fisheries Issues of the 2004 Second European Union Accession Treaty: A Comparison with the 1994 First Accession Treaty

Abstract

AbstractThe 1994 and 2004 Accession Treaty and Act of Accession require that the Applicant Member States adopt EU legislation and policy. The goal of the Accession Treaty is to phase out Applicant Member State legislation and institute the pre-emptive role of EU law. The EU fisheries acquis directly affects natural and juridical persons. Member states maintain legislative competence within 12 nautical miles during the transitional period, which ends in 2012. With the exception of specific areas delegated to Member States, national provisions will then be terminated. The "relative stability" and national quota regulations remain in effect and deter direct fishing by other Member States' vessels. Quota hopping, on the other hand, opens the door to foreign fishing interests. A new system of individual transferable quotas will further contribute to the decline of the inherent discrimination amongst EU citizens within fisheries sector.