The European Commission issued a warning on Monday while signaling openness to Europe on the matter of veto reviews and deep-sea bottom fishing across the Atlantic. In the 87 protected areas that have recently been identified, the direction depends on current scientific data available on December 16. The process that follows will not automatically lead to a new decision and cannot be expected to finish before the spring of the following year.
The annual review does not automatically trigger a new enforcement law. The 2016 deep-sea regulation requires the Commission to act on scientific grounds, so a fresh scientific assessment is necessary before any move is made, explained Kestutis Sadauskas, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Marine Affairs and Fisheries, during a discussion with Members of Parliament.
The official, who succeeded Virginijus Sinkevičius as Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries after the latter canceled his appearance due to a knee injury, noted that community services are awaiting the December 16 scientific opinion. Any reassessment will involve consultation and procedural steps that are likely to push any decision to at least the spring of 2023.
Sadauskas stressed that the veto would only apply to waters deeper than 400 meters. Fishing beyond that depth and other species will be allowed up to this limit, not as a reflection of a changed stance but as a consequence of the EU framework established at the outset.
The European representative urged a calm and constructive discussion after weeks of tension. He clarified that the statement was not aimed at any specific party, and the timing followed Brussels formalizing a correction to the status of Spain and Ireland. Brussels indicated that parts of the fishing ban had been adjusted.
In his briefing, Sadauskas highlighted several core points in the dispute with Spain and Ireland, who objected to the veto. He affirmed that the fundamental provision remains unchanged and cannot change. It reflects the peak of the 2016 regulation governing deep-water fishing, a framework that directs the EU to limit activity in protected zones based strictly on current scientific advice.
Moreover, he noted that the 2016 regulation resulted from an agreement among the Twenty-Seven and the European Parliament. Hence the ban that came into force recently is not a political choice by the European Commission but the outcome of rules negotiated by the two co-legislators.
Several MEPs, mainly Spaniards from different political groups, expressed strong criticism toward the Community Administration for not waiting for the latest scientific data this autumn and winter before implementing the resolution. They argued that the initial enforcement law should have been enacted in 2018.
They urged an immediate suspension of the measure until the situation could be re-evaluated in light of the most recent reports. Given the absence of thorough socio-economic impact assessments, as stated by MEPs from the PP, PSOE, BNG and PNV, the European Parliament urged legal services to explore possible appeal routes while keeping the core aims of conservation and sustainable fishing intact.
Overall, the discussion reflects a continuing balancing act between scientific guidance, political negotiation, and regional interests as the EU navigates complex enforcement timelines for deep-sea protection and fishing rights in Atlantic waters. The outcome will hinge on forthcoming scientific reviews and on the willingness of member states to align with the precautionary approach embedded in the 2016 framework. [EU Commission, briefing notes]