History

On March 15, 2011, Dr. Yordan Gospodinov, at the invitation of MEP Mrs. Iliana Yotova, made a statement before MEPs from the Fisheries Commission, where he focused on part of the Black Sea environmental problems, the fishing restrictions for the representatives of EC Member States and the resulting tensions with other operators in the Black Sea. This was followed by a visit of a group of MEPs in the summer of the same year to get acquainted with the sector. Their meeting with fishermen, processing industry representatives, aquaculture operators and traders in the sector. Another meeting in 2012 at the level of the ministers of agriculture of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania, where, at the invitation of DG MARE, speeches on behalf of the sector were given by Dr. Yordan Gospodinov-APRP BG FISH and Dimitar Dimitrov - Chernomorski Izgrev Association. This was followed by a visit of EU Commissioner Mrs. Maria Damanaki to Bulgaria and a meeting with representatives of the Fisheries sector at the level of representatives of the management of fishermen associations in the Black Sea region. At the invitation of DG MARE on 13.06.2013, Dr. Yordan Gospodinov-BG FISH, Dimitar Dimitrov - Chernomorski Izgrev, Denitsa Petrova - Green Peace gave speeches at the European Commission in Brussels, and a debate took place on the first steps to create the RKS and consultations by the EC and DG MARE on the ways to reach a consensus on the establishment of the Council. Similar organizations from Romania were present.

On 27.06.2013, at a first meeting of the Bulgarian representatives concerned, Dr. Yordan Gospodinov emphasized the fact that the RKS is a body that should be set up on the initiative of concerned operators from the sector and NGOs for the region and they should be representatives from Bulgaria and Romania, with the aim of identifying key issues, shaping them as issues to solve, and advising the EC by providing ideas and ways to solve them. The Authority should start its activities on 01.01.2015, and initially in September, under the auspices of the EC and personally of Mrs. Monik Paria - Director of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Directorate at DG MARE a meeting will be held between Bulgaria and Romania to start the procedures for setting up such an authority.