FISHING FOR A BETTER DEAL
AS Minister for Agriculture Food & the Marine, there are certain landmark events in the calendar that stand out from the rest.
Bloom and Budget day, trade missions and the ploughing tend to shape how the annual diary comes together. But it’s the December Fisheries Council that bookends the year.
While Christmas begins to raise its cheery volume throughout the land, the EU’s fisheries ministers bunker into the Europa Building in Brussels to engage in a marathon episode of bartering and bargaining. Over the years I’ve heard the jaded voices of many ministers brave the airwaves on Morning Ireland heralding a great haul or wearily lamenting the catch that got away.
December Council is the stuff of political folklore – and I’m pleased to have the opportunity to share my tale of the 2017 instalment with you.
It all began on Sunday night with a delayed arrival in a wintery Brussels. Plans of preparatory briefings and dinner were brushed aside to cater for an adjusted schedule and depleted delegation due to the adverse conditions.
After a quick bag drop at our hotel we briskly walked to the Irish ‘ PermRep’ in Brussels which was the setting for much dramatic diplomatic activity in recent weeks due to the climax of the Phase one Brexit negotiations. Of course, all of that was the teddy bears picnic party compared to the business of the December Fisheries Council.
At 9pm local time we sat down with representatives of the Irish fisheries and processing sector to discuss the difficulties we faced in the negotiations and to explore their priorities. Needless to say expectations may not have necessarily met what we considered to be within our capacity to deliver. But we committed to doing our best and retired for the night.
Monday morning at 7.30am the now fully assembled team sat down to prep for the day ahead. After running through the final details I departed for a breakfast meeting with European Peoples Party Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers. It wasn’t only fish on the menu at this gathering and I took the opportunity to remind EU Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen of Ireland’s vehement opposition to a Mercusor trade deal that would undermine our beef industry.
It was snowing heavily as I entered the Europa for the 9.30am opening bell. Pathetic fallacy?
The morning session focused on agricultural matters which took proceedings up to 1.30pm. While this was ongoing the team back in our delegation room were preparing a gauntlet of meetings with colleagues from across the continent.
At 3pm the process of setting the EU’s fisheries quotas for 2018 commenced in earnest with our first ‘ trilateral’ meeting of council. The trilateral meeting involved us making our case and outlining our priorities to the EU Commission led by Commissioner Vella, the Council Presidency led by the Estonian Minister. The exchange was frank and we were assured that our position would be considered.
This was our tee shot. It remained to be seen whether we had hit the fairway or not.
From the trilateral we moved down two floors to the German delegation room for our first ‘ bilateral’ of the council with German Minister Christian Schmidt. These meetings offer a chance to explore common positions and approaches to council.
I took the opportunity to discuss Brexit too at these meetings as we approach a critical time for fisheries in the context of those particular negotiations.
Throughout the first evening of business I held more bilaterals with the Ministers from Spain, Denmark and France all along similar themes of shared priorities for council and their views on the Brexit process.
There was just about time for a sandwich on the hoof in between meetings.
To paint the picture further all these meetings took place in our delegation rooms (or del rooms as they’re known). Each country has their own room in the building which is basically a decent sized office space with a meeting room and some work units. We are located next to the UK, Spain and France which makes for a lively corridor as officials chat and compare intelligence on proceedings.
Monday concluded with no settlement; therefore, we were freed from the Europa in the knowledge that when we return there would be no escape until there was a deal.
I met with both industry and NGO representatives to update them on the days proceedings. Following a 10pm meeting with the team I gladly took the opportunity for some valuable rest. I wouldn’t have the opportunity again for some time!
Tuesday morning breakfast and spirits were good in the camp ahead of ‘moving day’ at council. In a crowded ‘del-room’ I sat down with Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and his senior officials to compare notes on a number of matters.
After Simon and the DFAT crew departed the scene for their day’s business, our friends from the Netherlands, led by new Minister Carole Schouten, dropped in to restore the focus on the business at hand. They were subsequently followed by George Eustace, the UK Minister and his officials. No mention of Brexit on this occasion however.
At 3pm we made our second trip down the corridor for another trilateral. We were encouraged with what we had to hear. Our positions were coming closer, somewhat – but we were still a distance from shaking on any deal. This was made clear to the Commission and the Presidency before we got to our feet and retreated to our bunker to allow them to consider our pitch.
At this stage the set-piece talking was done. It was now down to corridor diplomacy. 11pm was the declared time for the next session of full council where the Commission hoped to conclude an agreement. This time was subsequently pushed back to 2am. There clearly was no agreement.
In camp Ireland our team continued to crunch the numbers, assess our situation and relay messages to the Commission secretariat.
At about 5.30am we had reached a point where we knew we had secured a good deal. But as is the case with negotiations - nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
Despite the late (or early) hour the activity on the corridor was relentless. Delegations intermingled and conversations became more and more speculative in terms of what was blocking a final deal.
Eventually an email was circulated with a proposal – and a time for the recommencement of Council – 7.15am.
45 hours after sitting down behind the ‘Ireland’ name card for the first time, I pulled up my chair and fixed my ear piece in place for what I hoped would be the final occasion of the session. Spain weren’t fully satisfied however. A ten minute break was called. We all remained in our seats.
The text of the agreement was amended. Breakthrough. At 7.40am - a full two days and a sleepless night after commencing proceedings – the 2017 edition of the December Fisheries Council concluded with as muted a round of applause as you could possibly imagine.
The race was now on to send forth the message of what we had secured to the industry and the department in Dublin before rushing to the airport to catch our rescheduled flight to Dublin. There was a day’s work to be done.