Cyprus’ Kadis sails through EU commission post hearing

Costas Kadis, Cyprus’ commissioner-designate, sailed through Wednesday’s confirmation hearing at the Fisheries and Oceans Committee (PECH) in the European Parliament in Brussels and secured its backing for the job, making him on course to get the post.

According to information, he received the support of 20 of the 26 members of the committee.
Kadis gave a very good showing at the hearing, with the chair of PECH, Spanish MEP Carmen Crespo Diaz, saying immediately after the hearing that “he gave very good answers to all the questions by the members.”

His appointment, however, will not be formally announced before November 21, when the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament declares the closing of the confirmation hearings, but on Wednesday, after a three-hour hearing he secured the approval of the Fisheries and Oceans Committee, which was the main requirement.

Kadis, a professor of biodiversity conservation and deputy president of the university council of Frederick University since 2023, was nominated by President Nikos Christodoulides, after serving in the Anastasiades government for nine years. He served first as education minister for four years and as agriculture minister for five years.

His main task on Wednesday was to satisfy the three requirements set by the EU Convention which stipulate that commissioners are chosen “on the basis of general abilities, their commitment to the European idea” and “complete guarantees of independence”.

The hearing, which started at 2.30pm, lasted more than the stipulated three hours, with Kadis comfortably answering the questions put to him by the MEPs of the 26-member committee. He made his 15-minute opening address in English and responded to the first section of the questioning also in English before answering in Greek in the second section.

In his opening address, he stressed his belief in the values of the European Union and pledged that all the policies and initiatives within his portfolio would “be grounded in the principles of democracy, human rights, sustainability and the rule of law”.

His main objectives, if confirmed as commissioner, he said was to protect the coastal communities that depended on fishing as well as the oceans. “What we do to preserve our communities and our oceans is important for our people today and for our future generations,” he said.

“We must secure sustainable, resilient and competitive fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the EU. We must further promote our blue economy.”

Kadis also said he would lead a comprehensive evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) “to ensure that fits in today’s evolving context and can address emerging challenges”. When the results of the evaluation, which would include consultations with stakeholders, are ready, by the end of next year, he would go to PECH to present them.

His opening statement anticipated the concerns and questions he was subsequently asked by MEPs. CFP, which covers modernisation and decarbonisation of fishing vessels, allocation of quotas for small scale fishers repeatedly came up in questions in relation to the protection of coastal communities which relied on fishing for their livelihoods.

Was he willing to cut the cost and red tape burdening Europe’s fishers? Was he aware that 76 per cent of fishing vessels were small-scale and 50 per cent of fishers worked on these. Kadis answered these questions with ease, saying he had every intention to support small scale fishers, with whom he would have talks, because he recognised their importance. He avoided giving definitive answers to questions about the cost of decarbonisation for small fishers.

Was he aware that CFP provisions were not being implemented and quota allocations favoured the big factory ships, asked Emma Fourreau, MEP of The Left. She said that 97 per cent of blue fin tuna is allocated to the factory ships and most were exported to Japan. There has been a court case, going for seven years and challenging this practice.

Kadis repeated that when evaluating CFP he would speak to all stakeholders and “if there are weaknesses I will not shy away from addressing them.” Questions about protecting coastal communities surfaced continually, and Spanish MEPs invited him to Galicia to get a proper idea of how small-scale fishers operated.

The pollution of the Baltic Sea and depleted fishing stocks was also brought up several times and Kadis appeared to have researched the matter, pointing out that it was difficult to deal with as there had been consistent misreporting about it.

He acknowledged the need for a recovery plan for healthy oceans, but noted that decisions must be based on correct data. He would devote great effort in helping the recovery of the Baltic Sea, saying “we need a holistic approach.”

Fears that MEPs would focus on Kadis’ alleged failure to do anything about the burial of waste at the Pentakomo waste treatment plant while serving as agriculture and environment minister in the Anastasiades government, did not materialise, the issue being raised only once.

Dutch MEP of The Left Group, Anja Hazekamp, said that fishing was the number one cause for the destruction of biodiversity and questioned how would he deal with it, considering he failed to protect the environment as minister, failing to implement Natura 2000 and to stop the burying of waste?

“How will you protect the environment in 27 countries when you failed to do so in Cyprus?” asked Haezkamp.

Kadis took the question his stride, his confidence growing as the hearing progressed. He did not agree with her contention about biodiversity, while the unit (in Pentakomo) “was set up some years before I entered the agriculture and environment ministry”, he said.

“The unit was problematic and numerous attempts were made to address the problem and as a result of actions I took matter was taken to court and the contract was terminated,” he said. “Now we have to wait for the courts to take a decision.”

The questions kept coming one MEP asking him what he would do about making fishing, which was male dominated job, more attractive to women and increasing female participation.

At one point, he good-naturedly pointed out: “I have no magic wand and cannot solve all the problems out there, but I assure you I have the will to try and do what needs to be done. We need a little patience so our solutions are effective; we need to wait a little.”