Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 89/631/EEC on a Community financial contribution towards expenditure incurred by the Member States for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the Community system for the conservation and management of fishery resources (1) (94/C 133/08)

On 13 December 1993 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 3 February 1994. The Rapporteur was Mr Silva.

At its 313th Plenary Session (meeting of 23 February 1994), the Economic and Social Committee unanimously adopted the following Opinion.

1. Introduction

1.1. Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 (2) established a control system applicable to the Common Fisheries Policy. The system is designed to reinforce the legislative provisions available to Member States and the Commission for ensuring compliance with the new basic Regulation governing the fisheries sector.

1.2. In order to improve the effectiveness of surveillance of fishing activities, it was decided that the case should be considered for installing a continuous position-monitoring system, using satellites and/or automatic position recorders, on Community fishing vessels.

1.3. Pending a Council Decision on the use of satellite-based systems, under the terms of Article 3 of the abovementioned Regulation, Member States are to assess the usefulness and reliability of this technology by carrying out pilot projects fully funded by the European Union.

1.4. The purpose of the present proposal is to amend, by way of exception and for a specified period, the existing rules on a Community financial contribution to expenditure incurred by the Member States for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the Community system of conservation and management of fishery resources.

2. General comments

2.1. The Committee approves the proposed Decision.

2.2. Debates at Community level have broadly stressed the need to develop control methods in general. It has been noted that the use of satellites for continuously monitoring the position of fishing vessels could help overcome the problems inherent in conventional sea or air based systems, bearing in mind the vast areas to be monitored. This would improve not only the control of fishing activities but also the safety of those working in the sector.

2.3. However, the Committee would point out that aside from the specific aspects covered by the present proposal, the control provisions recently approved under Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 (3) are designed to lay the foundations for a global, integrated control system covering all aspects of the Common Fisheries Policy, with better use of existing sea or land based surveillance methods, the establishment of a minimum sanctions system applicable in all Member States, and wider use of modern information technology to boost the efficiency and transparency of controls.

2.4. As Member States' efforts to this end must continue to receive EU financial support under the terms of Council Decision 631/92, it is necessary to ensure that the requisite budgetary resources continue to be made available to them.

2.5. Given that the pilot projects are to be fully funded by the EU, the Committee feels that a table should be drawn up of the minimum and maximum number of pilot projects to be installed on vessels of over 17 metres in length, in the light of the size of each Member State's fishing fleet. All projects submitted by the Member States should be carefully analyzed. As presently worded, Point 3 of Annex II of the proposed Decision could lead to expenditure on the projects exceeding the scheduled budget.

3. Specific comments

3.1. Article 1, Article 2b

The date of 31 January 1994 should be altered.

3.2. Annex II, Point 3, first indent

This should be altered in line with the comments made in Point 2.5 above.

Done at Brussels, 23 February 1994.

The Chairman

of the Economic and Social Committee

Susanne TIEMANN

(1) OJ No C 334, 9. 12. 1993, p. 21.

(2) OJ No L 261, 20. 10. 1993, p. 1.

(3) OJ No C 332, 16. 12. 1992, p. 19.