COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 12.12.1996 
COM(%)661 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
allocating for 1997 catch quotas between Member States 
for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Consultations between the Community and Lithuania took place in Vilnius from 4 to 5 
November 1996 and resulted in an agreement defining a reciprocal fisheries arrangement for 
1997. 
These consultations were held on the basis of the new framework Agreement on Fisheries 
Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Lithuania, concluded on .... 
This new Agreement, on the date of its entry into force, replaces the previous 
fisheries agreements concluded with Lithuania by the Community, as constituted before 
enlargement, and by Sweden and Finland respectively. 
Taking into account that the annual consultations occurred prior to the ratification of the 
Agreement on Fisheries Relations being terminated, the fisheries arrangement agreed for 1997 
will only be implemented from the date of its entry into force. 
The fisheries arrangement for 1997 provides for, inter alia, certain catch quotas for 
Community vessels in the Lithuanian fishing zone in the framework of the exchange of fishing 
possibilities and reciprocal access quotas. 
The purpose of this proposal for a regulation is to allocate among Member States the quotas 
available in 1997 to Community vessels fishing in the Lithuanian zone under the above 
mentioned arrangement. 
The fisheries arrangement agreed with Lithuania for 1997 has been negotiated on behalf of the 
enlarged Community. The fishing possibilities now obtained by the enlarged Community are 
distributed among Member States on the basis of the traditional fishing pattern in the Baltic 
Sea before the entry into force of the new Agreement, when Denmark, Finland, Germany and 
Sweden were the only Member States with fishing rights in the region. Therefore, the fishing 
possibilities cannot be considered as "new" in the sense of Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) 
No 3760/92, as they result from the amalgamation of the existing fishing possibilities under 
the previous fisheries agreements concluded with Lithuania by the Community, as constituted 
before enlargement, and by Sweden and Finland respectively. 
As a consequence of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European 
Union, in particular Article 121, paragraph 1, footnote 9 of the table, Member States of the 
Community, as constituted before enlargement, have been compensated for their lower share 
of the cod stock up to the level required by the Council Declaration. 
Lithuania is compensated for the quotas obtained in its waters by way of a financial 
contribution of ECU 1,041,048, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries 
Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Lithuania. 
z. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /96 
of.... December 1996 
allocating for 1997 catch quotas between Member States 
for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing 
a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture(I), as amended by the Act of Accession of 
Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on Fisheries 
Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Lithuania(2), concluded on 
, and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Lithuania 
have held consultations concerning their mutual fishing rights for 1997 and the management 
of common living resources; 
Whereas, in the course of these consultations, the delegations agreed to recommend to their 
respective authorities that certain catch quotas for 1997 should be fixed for the vessels of the 
other Party; 
Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1997, the results of the 
consultations held with Lithuania; 
Whereas to ensure efficient management of the catch possibilities available in Lithuanian 
waters, quotas should be allocated among Member States in accordance with Article 8 of 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92; 
Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures 
provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a 
control system applicable to the common fisheries policy*3*; 
Whereas additional conditions for the year-to-year management of TACs and quotas, in 
accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) 
No 847/96(4), were not agreed with Lithuania; 
(1) OJ No L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No C 284, 27.9.1996, p. 8. 
(3) OJ No L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1. 
(4) OJ No L 115, 9.5.1996, p. 3. 
Z 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article J 
From 1 January to 31 December 1997 vessels flying the flag of a Member State are hereby 
authorised to make catches within the quota limits set out in the Annex in waters falling within 
the fisheries jurisdiction of Lithuania. 
Article 2 
The financial contribution provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations 
between the European Community and the Republic of Lithuania shall be set for the period 
referred to in Article 1 at ECU 1,041,048, payable to an account designated by Lithuania. 
Article 3 
Stocks referred to in the Annex shall not be subject to the conditions stipulated in Articles 2, 
3 and 5 (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96. 
Article 4 
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1997. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at Brussels, .... December 1996. 
For the Council 
The President 
ANNEX 
Allocation of Community catch quotas in Lithuanian waters for 1997 
(in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish) 
Species 
Cod 
Herring 
Salmon 
Sprat ICES 
division 
nid 
Hid 
nid 
Hid Community 
catch quotas 
1,675 
3,000 
4,100(,) 
12,000 Quotas allocated 
to Member States 
Denmark (755) 
Finland (35) 
Germany (330) 
Sweden (555) 
Denmark (755) 
Finland (375) 
Germany (570) 
Sweden (1,300) 
Denmark (1,110)(,) 
Finland (1,385)(,) 
Germany (125)(,) 
Sweden (l,480)(l) 
Denmark (3,795) 
Finland (1,540) 
Germany (1,010) 
Sweden (5,655) 
(1) Number of individual fish. 
r 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
1. TITLE: Proposal for a Council Regulation allocating for 1997 catch quotas 
between Member States for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters. 
2. BUDGETARY LINE CONCERNED: B7-800 
3. LEGAL BASIS: Article 8 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 
4. DESCRIPTION: 
4.1 General objectives: 
• maintain and develop the traditional activity of Community fishermen 
in Lithuanian waters; 
• supply the Community market; and 
• decrease the fishing effort in Community waters. 
4.2 Period covered: Year 1997 
5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE: 
5.1 DO 
5.2 CD 
6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE: 
Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Lithuanian waters. 
7. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES: ECU 1,041,048 
The financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has been 
negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1995 in Community ports in the 
Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs for each 
of the species. 
7.1 Method of calculation: 
Quota obtained (in tonnes) 
Weighted average landing prices 
1995 (ECU/tonne) 
Market value (in ECUs) 
Negotiated (percentage) 
In ECUs COD 
3,500 
967 
3,385,000 
25% 
846,125 SALMON 
20.5 
(4,100 units) 
2,906 
59,573 
25% 
14,893 HERRING 
3,000 
152.74 
458,220 
12.5% 
57,270 SPRAT 
12,000 
81.83 
981,960 
12.5% 
122,760 
Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 1,041,048 
Average price ECU/tonne: 56.21 
ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: 
The financial contribution granted by the Community is utilised by Lithuania to 
develop its fisheries sector in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement. The amount 
is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Ministry of 
Environmental Protection of the Republic of Lithuania. 
ELEMENTS OF COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS: 
The Community fleet in the Baltic Sea has been severely hit by reductions in catch 
possibilities, mainly due to biological factors (low salinity of the water and the M-74 
disease) and pollution of the water. Any increase in fishing possibilities above current 
critical catch levels will contribute towards preventing the fleet, and connected 
industries and services ashore, from collapsing and disappearing. This will also avoid, 
to a certain extent, payments under lay-up schemes or social programmes. 
Experience has taught us that the financial compensation, similar to that paid in 1996, 
has mainly been used by Lithuania for the continued improvement of scientific 
research on fisheries and the training of fisheries managers. This has entailed improved 
scientific assessment and enforcement in the fishery zone of Lithuania and has 
contributed to a more rational exploitation of the stocks, to the benefit of all concerned 
in the Baltic Sea. 
The expenses proposed are foreseen in 
concerned. the budgetary planning for the period 
10. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES: 
The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs. 
} 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 661 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 11 01 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-673-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-13331-0 
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