COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 12.12.1996 
COM(96) 656 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
allocating for 1997 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 from 15 to 16 
October 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 Estonia, concluded on .... 
This new Agreement, on the date of its entry into force, replaces the previous 
fisheries agreements concluded with Estonia 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 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 arnong Member States the quotas 
available in 1997 to Community vessels fishing in the Estonian zone under the above 
mentioned arrangement. 
The fisheries arrangement agreed with Estonia 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 Estonia 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 12.1, 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 765,530, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheri••..?. Relations 
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia. 
1 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /96 
of.... December 1996 
allocating for 1997 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 aquaculture(1), 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 Estonia(2), concluded on .... 
, and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Estonia 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 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 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 Estonia, 
(i) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) OJNoL389, 31.12.1992, p. 1. 
OJ No C 279, 25.9.1996, p. 6. 
OJ No L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1. 
OJNoL 115, 9.5.1996, p. 3. 
3 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
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 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 765,530, 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 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 
4 
ANNEX 
Allocation of Community catch quotas in Estonian waters for 1997 
(in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish) 
Species 
Cod 
Herring 
Salmon 
Sprat ICES 
division 
Hid 
Hid 
Hid 
nid Community 
catch quotas 
500 
5,000 
5,400(,) 
30,500 Quotas allocated 
to Member States 
Denmark (225) 
Finland (10) 
Germany (100) 
Sweden (165) 
Denmark (1,260) 
Finland (620) 
Germany (945) 
Sweden (2,175) 
Denmark (1,460)(,) 
Finland (1,820)(1) 
Germany (160)(,) 
Sweden (1,960)(,) 
Denmark (9,645) 
Finland (3,920) 
Germany (2,565) 
Sweden (14,370) 
1 
(1) Number of individual fish. 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
1. TITLE: Proposal for a Council Regulation allocating for 1997 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 1997 
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 765,530 
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 
1,400 
967 
1,353,800 
25% 
338,450 SALMON 
27 
(5,400 units) 
2,906 
78,460 
25% 
19,615 HERRING 
5,000 
152.74 
763,700 
12.5% 
95,450 SPRAT 
30,500 
81.83 
2,495,815 
12.5% 
312,015 
Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 765,530 
Average price ECU/tonne: 20.73 
ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: 
The financial contribution granted by the Community is utilised by Estonia to develop 
its fisheries sector in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement. The amount is 
administered by the National Estonian Board of Fisheries. 
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 Estonia 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 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. 
1 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 656 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 11 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-669-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-13287-X 
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