61981CJ0137_EN
Parties
Subject of the case
Grounds
Decision on costs
Operative part
Parties
IN JOINED CASES 137 AND 140/81
REFERENCES TO THE COURT UNDER ARTICLE 177 OF THE EEC TREATY BY THE TRIBUNAL DE GRANDE INSTANCE ( REGIONAL COURT ), BAYONNE, FOR A PRELIMINARY RULING IN THE ACTION PENDING BEFORE THAT COURT BETWEEN
DIRECTEUR DES AFFAIRES MARITIMES DU LITTORAL DU SUD-OUEST ( DIRECTOR OF MARINE AFFAIRS FOR THE SOUTH-WESTERN SEABOARD ), BAYONNE, PROSECUTOR,
AND
PROCUREUR DE LA REPUBLIQUE ( PUBLIC PROSECUTOR ), INTERVENING,
AND
ALFONSO CAMPANDEGUY SAGARZAZU, FUENTARRABIA, SPAIN ( CASE 137/81 ),
AND BETWEEN
ADMINISTRATEUR DES AFFAIRES MARITIMES ( ADMINISTRATOR OF MARINE AFFAIRS ), BAYONNE, AND PROCUREUR DE LA REPUBLIQUE
AND
ANTONIO ECHEVARRIA SAGASTI, PASAJES DE SAN PEDRO, SPAIN ( CASE 140/81 )
Subject of the case
ON THE VALIDITY OF REGULATIONS OF THE COUNCIL LAYING DOWN CERTAIN TEMPORARY MEASURES FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERY RESOURCES APPLICABLE TO VESSELS FLYING THE FLAG OF SPAIN,
Grounds
1 BY JUDGMENTS OF 23 APRIL AND 21 MAY 1981, WHICH WERE RECEIVED AT THE COURT ON 5 JUNE 1981, THE TRIBUNAL DE GRANDE INSTANCE ( REGIONAL COURT ), BAYONNE, REFERRED TO THE COURT FOR A PRELIMINARY RULING UNDER ARTICLE 177 OF THE EEC TREATY A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER, HAVING REGARD TO PRIOR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS, REGULATIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES LAYING DOWN CERTAIN INTERIM MEASURES FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERY RESOURCES APPLICABLE TO VESSELS FLYING THE FLAG OF SPAIN ARE VALID, IN SO FAR AS THEY HAVE LAID DOWN CERTAIN CONDITIONS FOR FISHING OPERATIONS CARRIED OUT BY SPANISH NATIONALS IN THE ECONOMIC ZONE ESTABLISHED BY FRENCH DECREE NO 77-130 OF 11 FEBRUARY 1977 ( JOURNAL OFFICIEL DE LA REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE OF 12 FEBRUARY 1977, P . 864 ) AND WHETHER, IF VALID, THOSE REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCEABLE AGAINST SPANISH NATIONALS .
2 THE QUESTION WAS RAISED BY CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE MASTERS OF TWO FISHING VESSELS REGISTERED IN SPAIN, WHO WERE CHARGED WITH FISHING IN WATERS WITHIN THE FRENCH ECONOMIC ZONE, WITHOUT BEING IN POSSESSION OF A FISHING LICENCE .
3 MR CAMPANDEGUY SAGARZAZU, THE DEFENDANT IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS IN CASE 137/81, WAS DISCOVERED FISHING ON 2 FEBRUARY 1981 IN THE ZONE BETWEEN 12 AND 200 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE BASELINES . MR ECHEVARRIA SAGASTI, THE DEFENDANT IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS IN CASE 140/81, FISHED IN THE SAME ZONE ON 10 MARCH 1981 .
4 THE NATIONAL COURT CONSIDERED THAT THE DEFENDANTS WERE UNABLE TO PRODUCE THE LICENCE REQUIRED BY COUNCIL REGULATIONS NO 1719/80, NO 3305/80 AND NO 554/81 AND THAT IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THE FISHING IN WHICH THE DEFENDANTS HAD ENGAGED CONSTITUTED AN OFFENCE CREATED AND PUNISHED BY FRENCH CRIMINAL LEGISLATION .
5 IN BOTH CASES THE DEFENDANTS IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS MAINTAIN THAT THE COMMUNITY REGULATIONS ARE INVALID OR IN ANY EVENT INAPPLICABLE AS AGAINST THEM, BEING INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE RIGHTS UPON WHICH THEY MAY RELY IN CONSEQUENCE OF INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS PREVIOUSLY ENTERED INTO BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN . FOR THAT PURPOSE THEY RELY IN PARTICULAR UPON THE GENEVA CONVENTION OF 29 APRIL 1958 ON FISHING AND CONSERVATION OF THE LIVING RESOURCES OF THE HIGH SEAS ( UNITED NATIONS TREATY SERIES, VOL . 559, NO
8164 ) AND UPON THE LONDON FISHERIES CONVENTION OF 9 MARCH 1964 ( UNITED NATIONS TREATY SERIES_VOL . 581, NO 8432 ) WHICH, SINCE IT RECOGNIZED FISHING RIGHTS IN THE 6 TO 12-MILE ZONE, MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS MEANING THAT, AFTER THE EXTENSION OF FISHERY LIMITS, THE SAME REGIME EXTENDS TO 200 MILES .
6 COUNCIL REGULATION NO 1719/80 OF 30 JUNE 1980 LAYING DOWN FOR 1980 CERTAIN MEASURES FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERY RESOURCES APPLICABLE TO VESSELS FLYING THE FLAG OF SPAIN ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 168, P . 27 ) WAS, ACCORDING TO THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 12 THEREOF, APPLICABLE FROM 1 JANUARY TO 31 DECEMBER 1980 . COUNCIL REGULATION NO 3305/80 OF 17 DECEMBER 1980 EXTENDING THE PERIOD OF VALIDITY OF FISHING LICENCES FOR VESSELS FLYING THE FLAG OF SPAIN ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 344, P . 33 ) PROVIDES THAT FISHING LICENCES VALID ON 31 DECEMBER 1980 IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION NO 1719/80 REMAIN VALID UNTIL 31 JANUARY 1981 . COUNCIL REGULATION NO 554/81 OF 27 FEBRUARY 1981 FIXING CERTAIN INTERIM MEASURES FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES RESOURCES APPLICABLE TO VESSELS FLYING THE FLAG OF SPAIN ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 57, P . 1 ), WHICH ENTERED INTO FORCE ON 4 MARCH 1981, PROVIDES IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 11 THEREOF, THAT IT IS APPLICABLE UNTIL 31 MAY 1981 .
7 THE THREE REGULATIONS CITED ABOVE FORM PART OF A SERIES OF COUNCIL REGULATIONS WHICH, PENDING THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE AGREEMENT ON FISHERIES BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN OF 15 APRIL 1980 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 263, P . 1 ), ESTABLISHED FOR SHORT PERIODS INTERIM PROVISIONS PRESCRIBING CATCH QUOTAS FOR SPANISH FISHERMEN .
8 THE COURT HAS ALREADY STATED IN ITS JUDGMENT OF 8 DECEMBER 1981 ( CRUJEIRAS TOME AND YURRITA, CASES 180/80 AND 266/80, ( 1981 ) ECR ) 2997 ) THAT THE INTERIM REGIME ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMUNITY FALLS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE RELATIONS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN IT AND SPAIN IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS INHERENT IN CONSERVATION MEASURES AND THE EXTENSION OF FISHERY ZONES AND IN ORDER TO ENSURE RECIPROCAL ACCESS BY FISHERMEN TO THE WATERS SUBJECT TO SUCH MEASURES AND THAT THOSE RELATIONS WERE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE REGIME WHICH PREVIOUSLY APPLIED IN THOSE ZONES IN ORDER TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN RELATION TO FISHING ON THE HIGH SEAS AND THE INCREASINGLY URGENT NEED TO CONSERVE THE LIVING RESOURCES OF THE SEA .
9 IT FOLLOWS FROM THE FOREGOING THAT THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATIONS NO 1719/80, NO 3305/80 AND NO 554/81, IN SO FAR AS THEY APPLIED TO THE FISHING ZONE EXTENDING FROM 12 TO 200 MILES FROM THE BASELINES, WERE PART OF THE PROGRESSIVE CREATION OF NEW RECIPROCAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND SPAIN IN THE FIELD OF SEA-FISHING WHICH WERE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE REGIME PREVIOUSLY APPLICABLE TO FISHING ON THE HIGH SEAS . IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES SPANISH FISERHERMEN MAY NOT RELY ON PRIOR INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS AS BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE APPLICATION OF THE INTERIM REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE COMMUNITY IN THE EVENT OF ANY INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE TWO CATEGORIES OF PROVISIONS .
10 CONSIDERATION OF THE QUESTION RAISED HAS DISCLOSED NO FACTOR OF SUCH A KIND AS TO AFFECT THE VALIDITY OF REGULATIONS NO 1719/80, NO 3305/80 AND NO 554/81 . THOSE REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCEABLE AGAINST SPANISH NATIONALS .
11 THE DEFENDANTS IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS, THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION HAVE DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF THE COURT TO THE FACT THAT AT THE MATERIAL TIME IN CASE 137/81, NAMELY 2 FEBRUARY 1981, NO COMMUNITY REGULATION CONCERNING THE SYSTEM OF LICENCES WAS APPLICABLE TO VESSELS FLYING THE FLAG OF SPAIN . THE RECITALS IN THE PREAMBLE TO REGULATION NO 554/81 STATE IN THIS CONNECTION THAT THE CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND SPAIN WHICH ARE PROVIDED FOR BY THE AGREEMENT ON FISHERIES OF 1980, WHICH PROVISIONALLY APPLIED FROM THE DATE OF SIGNATURE, WERE NOT CONCLUDED UNTIL 17 FEBRUARY 1981, THAT FISHING BY SPANISH VESSELS IN THE FISHING ZONES OF MEMBER STATES WHICH WERE SUBJECT TO COMMUNITY FISHERIES REGULATIONS WAS AUTHORIZED DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1 TO 31 JANUARY 1981 BY REGULATION NO 3305/80 AND THAT SUCH FISHING HAD BEEN INTERRUPTED SINCE 1 FEBRUARY 1981 .
12 THE DEFENDANTS IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS HAVE CLAIMED THAT UNDER THE AGREEMENT ON FISHERIES SPANISH FISHERMEN WERE ENTITLED TO FISH IN THE FISHING ZONES IN QUESTION DURING THE PERIODS WHEN NO COMMUNITY REGULATION ESTABLISHED A SYSTEM OF LICENCES FOR THEM .
13 IT IS NEVERTHELESS FOR THE NATIONAL COURT TO CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ABSENCE OF ANY COMMUNITY REGULATIONS CONCERNING FISHING LICENCES APPLICABLE TO SPANISH FISHING VESSELS DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1 FEBRUARY 1981 TO 4 MARCH 1981 .
Decision on costs
COSTS
14 THE COSTS INCURRED BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND BY THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, WHICH HAVE SUBMITTED OBSERVATIONS TO THE COURT, ARE NOT RECOVERABLE . AS THESE PROCEEDINGS ARE, IN SO FAR AS THE PARTIES TO THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS ARE CONCERNED, IN THE NATURE OF A STEP IN THE PROCEEDINGS PENDING BEFORE THE NATIONAL COURT THE DECISION ON COSTS IS A MATTER FOR THAT COURT .
Operative part
ON THOSE GROUNDS,
THE COURT ( FIRST CHAMBER )
IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION SUBMITTED BY THE TRIBUNAL DE GRANDE INSTANCE, BAYONNE, BY JUDGMENTS OF 23 APRIL AND 21 MAY 1981, HEREBY RULES :
CONSIDERATION OF THE QUESTION RAISED HAS DISCLOSED NO FACTOR OF SUCH A KIND AS TO AFFECT THE VALIDITY OF COUNCIL REGULATIONS ( EEC ) NO 1719/80 OF 30 JUNE 1980 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 168, P . 27 ), NO 3305/80 OF 17 DECEMBER 1980 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 344, P . 33 ) AND NO 554/81 OF 27 FEBRUARY 1981 ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 57, P . 1 ). THE PROVISIONS OF THOSE REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCEABLE AGAINST SPANISH NATIONALS .