COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 30.11.1998 
COM(1998) 685 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
of.... December 1998 
allocating for 1999 catch quotas between Member States 
for vessels fishing in Estonian waters 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Consultations between the Community and Estonia took place in Tallinn on 19-20 October 
1998 and resulted in an Agreed Record of conclusions defining a reciprocal fisheries 
arrangement for 1999. 
These consultations were held on the basis of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the 
European Community and the Republic of Estonia, signed in Brussels on 19 December 1996. 
The fisheries arrangement for 1999 provides for, inter alia, certain catch quotas for Community 
vessels in the Estonian 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 1999 to Community vessels fishing in the Estonian zone under the above mentioned 
arrangement. 
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. 
Estonia is compensated for the quotas obtained in its waters by way of a financial contribution of 
ECU 519,000, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between 
the European Community and the Republic of Estonia. 
£ 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No / 99 
of.... December 1998 
allocating for 1999 catch quotas between Member States 
for vessels fishing in Estonian 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 aquaculture1, 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 Estonia2, and in particular Articles 3 and 
6 thereof, the Community and Estonia have held consultations concerning their mutual fishing 
rights for 1999 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 1999 should be fixed for the vessels of the 
other Party; 
Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1999, the results of the 
consultations held with Estonia; 
Whereas to ensure efficient management of the catch possibilities available in Estonian 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 policy3; 
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 847/964, 
were not agreed with Estonia; 
1 OJ No L 389,31.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) n° 1181/98 (OJ No L 
164, 9.6.1998, p. 1). 
2 OJ No L 332, 20.12.1996, p. 16 
3 OJ No L 261,20.10.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) n° 2205/97 (OJ No L 304, 
7.11.1997, p. 1). 
4 OJNoL 115,9.5.1996, p. 3 3 
Whereas, for imperative reasons of common interest, this Regulation will apply from 1 January 
1999, 
IIAS ADOPTED TlIIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
From 1 January to 31 December 1999 vessels flying the flag of a Member State are hereby 
authorized to make catches within the quota limits set out in the Annex in waters falling within 
the fisheries jurisdiction of Estonia. 
Article 2 
The financial contribution provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement on fisheries relations 
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia shall be set for the period 
referred to in Article 1 at ECU 519,000, payable to an account designated by Estonia. 
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 forcé on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. It shall apply from 1 January 1999. 
This Regulation shaH be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at Brussels,.... December 1998. 
For the Council 
The President 
9 
ANNEX 
Allocation of Community catch quotas in Estonian waters for 1999 
(in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish) 
Species 
Cod 
• 
Herring 
Salmon 
Sprat 
' 
I ICES 
division 
111(d) 
Ill(d) 
111(d) 
111(d) Community 
catch quotas 
500 
3,000 
6,750 
13,000 Quotas allocated 
to Member States 
Denmark 186 
Finland 80 
Germany 84 
Sweden 150 
Denmark 1,431 
Finland 0 
Germany 1,073 
Sweden 496 
Denmark 2,626 
Finland 2,526 
Germany 292 
Sweden 1,306 
Denmark 7,560 
Finland 0 
Germany 2,010 
Sweden 3,430 
S 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
1. TITLE: Proposal for a Council Regulation-allocating for 1999 catch quotas 
between Member States for vessels fishing in Estonian 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 
Estonian waters; 
• supply the Community market; and 
• decrease the fishing effort in Community waters. 
4.2 Period covered: Year 1999 
5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE: 
5.1 DO 
5.2 CD 
6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE: 
Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Estonian waters. 
7. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES: ECU 519,000 
The financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has been 
negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1997 in Community ports in the 
Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs for each of 
the species. 
4 
7.1 Method of calculation: 
Quota obtained (in tonnes) 
Weighted average landing prices 
1997(ECU/tonne) 
Market value (in ECUs) 
Negotiated (percentage) 
In ECUs COD 
1,000' 
1,096 
7 
1,096,000 
25% 
274,000 SALMON 
33.75 
(6,750 units) 
2,397 
80,899 
25% 
20,250 HERRING 
3,000 
166 
498,000 
12.5% 
62,250 SPRAT 
13,000 
100 
1,300,000 
12.5% 
162,500 1 
500 tons allocated in Estonia waters and 500 tons transferred to Community waters 
Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 519,000 
Average price ECU/tonne: 30.47 
8. ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: 
The financial contribution granted by the Coftimunity is utilised by Estonia to develop its 
fisheries sector in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement. The amount is 
administered by the Estonian Fisheries Fund. 
9. 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 previous 
years, has mainly been used by Estonia for the continued improvement of scientific 
research on fisheries and the training of fisheries managers and control activities. This 
has entailed improved scientific assessment and enforcement in the fishery zone of 
Estonia 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 the budgetary planning for the period concerned. 
10. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES: 
The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs. 
Ï 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 685 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 07 11 14 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-694-EN-C 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
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