Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) has suspended the use of the EU system “Catch” for now and has directed the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) to continue using the national “Fikon II” system until further notice. This move goes against the EU regulation that became legally binding on 10 January.
“Catch” is a digital information‑management platform created by the European Commission to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). The ministry says the system currently suffers from serious flaws and is not yet practical. Cases have been reported where fishery products could not be imported or exported, potentially leading to food waste and significant economic losses for companies.
Minister Rainer emphasised that EU regulations must be clear and workable for all participants. He expects the Commission to present ambitious proposals to address the difficulties soon. In the meantime, he has ordered the BLE to operate on the national IT system as an emergency measure. Other countries also raised concerns about “Catch” during this week’s EU Agriculture Council.
