Greenpeace granted permission for judicial review

27 Apr 2015

The High Court (Mrs. Justice Andrews) has granted Greenpeace permission to challenge the UK’s failure to properly implement the EU’s new Common Fisheries Policy (“CFP”).

In December 2013, the EU legislature adopted a new regulation reforming the CFP, in particular by requiring Member States to allocate fish quotas based on environmental, economic and social criteria.

Greenpeace claims that the new regulation means that the UK is obliged to modify its current method of allocating fish quotas which is primarily based on historical fishing records from 1994-1996. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has taken a decision that the UK’s method of allocating fish quotas is compatible with the new regulation. The High Court has permitted Greenpeace to challenge the lawfulness of that decision under EU law.

The case has received the following press coverage:

Further information can also be found on the Greenpeace blog.

Kassie Smith QC and James Bourke are acting for Greenpeace, instructed by Harrison Grant.

Search