10.11.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC304/5
OpinionontheReport(1992)bytheCommissiontotheCouncilandParliamenton
theapplicationoftheActofAccessionofSpainandPortugalinthefisheriessector
(93/C304/04)
On29January1993theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
Report(1992)bytheCommissiontotheCouncilandParliamentontheapplicationofthe
ActofAccessionofSpainandPortugalinthefisheriessector.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon3September1993.TheRapporteur
wasMrSilva.
Atits308thPlenarySession(meetingof22September1993),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeunanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
assumptionsoftheCFP,asdefinedinRegulation (EEC)
No170/83andotherlegislationinthissphere.
1.6.Thesechangeshighlightedtheneedforaglobal
approachtomanagementwhichcouldfacilitatethe
reestablishment ofabalancebetweena)fishstocks,b)
fishingeffortandc)coherent,integratedmanagement
offisheriesstructures .
1.7.Oneofthemainreasonsfortheimbalancewas
thelimitedresourcesandthereforelimitedcatch,com­
binedwiththesystemoffreeaccessoperatinginthe
fisheriessectorupuntilthattime.
1.8.ThenewapproachsetoutintheRegulationon
fisheriesandaquaculture (3)advocatesa)regulatingthe
conditionsgoverningaccesstofishingandthepractice
thereof,b)managingthefishingeffortbymeansofa
licensingsystem,c)introducingback-upmeasuresfor
fisheriesactivitiesandd)newarrangementsformoni­
toringregulatedactivities.
2.ThenewRegulationstipulatesthatthe'acquis
communautaire 'oftheCFPistobemaintaineduntil
31December2002,namely:1.Introduction
1.1.TheAccessionTreaties(x)forSpainandPortu­
gal(Articles162and350)stipulatedthattheCom­
missionwastopresentareportonpossibleadjustments
tothetransitionperiodforthefisheriessectorby
31December1992.
1.2.InthepresentreporttheCommissionsetsout
toanalyzetrendsinthissectorinthesetwoMember
StatesinrelationtotheothertenECMemberStates,
takingaccountofthearrangements setoutintheAct
ofAccession (AA)andthewaythattheCommon
FisheriesPolicy(CFP)(2)hasactuallyevolved.
1.3.Todothis,theCommissionshouldnotlose
trackofthevariousfactorsaffectingthefisheriessector,
which,atbothCommunityandinternational level—
e.g.creationofthe200mileeconomicexclusionzones
(EEZ)andthescarcityoffishstocksinanexpanding
market—determinedevelopments intheCommon
FisheriesPolicyandunderlinethearrangementswritten
intotheAA.
1.4.Theneedtoputastoptotheoverfishingof
marineresourcesandtoprotectcertainspecieshas
inspiredinternationaltrendstowardstheconservation
offishstocks.Theadoptionin1982oftheUnited
NationsConventionontheLawoftheSeaconstituted
afirstsignificantstepinthisdirection,establishinga
genuinenewinternationalorderintheexploitationand
managementofmarineresources.Communitylawsalso
tookthoseprinciplesonboard.
1.5.Thus,theneedforrationalization —aimedat
balanced,durableexploitationoffisheryresources—
requiredchangesinthestructureandunderlying—reservedaccesstoa12-milecoastalzone,
—theprincipleofrelativestability.
2.1.Thederogationfromfreeaccessinthe12-mile
zoneuntiltheyear2002reflectsrecognitionofthe
rights(andresponsibilities )oflocalfisheriesandthe
fundamentalroleoffishinginsomeregionswhichare
particularlydependentonthisactivity.
2.2.TheCommitteereiteratesthat,inordertomain­
tainthebalanceoftheCFPitselfandtotakeaccount
ofthespecificneedsoflocalpopulationsandmany
(1)OJNoL302,15.11.1985.
(2)Regulation (EEC)No3760/92ontheCommunitysystemfor
fisheriesandaquacultureandtheRegulationonthemonitor­
ingsystemfortheCFP.(3)Regulation (EEC)No3760/92ontheCommunitysystemfor
fisheriesandaquaculture .

.NoC304/6 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 10.11.93
regionsintheCommunity,thearrangements forthe
12-milezoneshouldbeextendedbeyondtheyear2002.
2.3.OnemattertowhichtheCommitteehasalways
attachedparticularimportanceistheobjectiveofecon­
omicandsocialcohesion.
2.4.Professionals inthissectordohavelegitimate
concernsastohowtheCFP,initscurrentform—and
evenmoresointhefuturewhenitsprincipalfeature
willbefreeaccess—willtakeaccountoftheinterests
oflocalcommunitieswhoselivelihoodisfishing,and
safeguardtheeconomicandsocialfabricofthose
regionsmostdependentonfishing,particularlythe
mostremoteandvulnerableregionsorthosewhere
thereisahighconcentration ofsocio-economic risk
factors.
3.TheActofAccessionofSpainandPortugal
3.1.Generalcomments
3.2.AsnotedintheCommissionReport:'thegeneral
arrangements intheAA,asregardstheconditionsof
accesstofishingbySpanishandPortuguesefleetsin
thewatersofthe«Ten»andviceversa,remaininforce
until31December2002'.
3.3.Acceptanceofanumberoffundamentalprin­
ciplesbythethreepartiesconcernedwasconsolidated
intheActofAccession,namely:
—recognitionbyallpartiesthathistoricalrightsno
longerapplyinanother'sterritorialwaters(12-mile
zone)(1),
—limitedaccessintheEEZs,intermsofnumberof
vessels,areas,periodoffishingactivityandtypeof
fishing,
—principleofreciprocity.
3.4.Theseprinciplesgoverningtheconditionsof
accessandfishingshouldnotbechanged.
4.PossibleadjustmentstotheAAarrangements
4.1.ConditionsforaccesstoCommunitywatersand
resources
4.1.1.Adjustmentswhich,underthetermsofthe
AA,willbepossibleasof1January1996,mustnot
involveanincreaseinthefishingeffort.Thisisnecess­
aryforconsistency'ssakeandmustbeborneinmind
whenseekingsolutions.
4.1.2.Ingeneral,currentfishstocksdonotappear
toallowanincreaseinfishing,giventhattechnological
progresswillmeanaconstantincreaseintheefficiencyoffishingequipmentatanestimatedrateof2%per
annum.
4.1.3.Moreover,facedwithadeterioration insome
stocks,theCouncil(2)planstoestablish,by1January
1994,theobjectivesandarrangementsforrestructuring
thesectorwithaviewtoachievingalastingbalance
betweenfishstocksandfishingactivity.Inviewof
thechangestothewaytheStructuralFundsoperate,
structuralmeasuresinthefisheriessectorwillnow
integratethesefundsundertheFinancialInstrument
forFisheriesGuidance (FIFG).TheCommittee (3)
reiteratesitsdemandthatgenuineaccountbetakenof
theeconomicandsocialconsequencesoftheseadjust­
mentsandofthespecificcharacteristics ofdifferent
fishingregions(4).
4.1.4.Anychangesmustaim,inoverallterms,to
simplifyarrangementsfurther,improveefficiencyand
facilitatemanagement ,inresponsetorequestsfrom
thoseworkinginthesectorregardinganumberof
genuineproblemswhich,undertheAccessionTreaties
a)unnecessarilyrestrictandhamperfishermen'sand
shipowners'activities,b)aggravateexistingdifficulties
inherentinrenderingvesselsprofitableandc)make
supervisionitselfdifficult.
4.2.Irishbox
4.2.1.UndertheAA,thebanisraisedonthePortug­
ueseandSpanishfleets'accesstothezonecorrespond­
ingtotheIrishbox.
4.3.Tunafish
4.3.1.UnderArticle351,restrictionsonfishingfor
albacoreandtropicaltunaintheInternationalCouncil
fortheExplorationoftheSea(ICES)XandtheFishery
CommitteefortheEasternCentralAtlantic(CECAF)
zoneswillceaseon31December1995.Undernew
mechanismsformanagingfishing,stipulatedinRegu­
lation(EEC)No3760/92,whenitisdefiningconditions
governingaccesstoandthepracticeoffishing,the
Councilwillhavetotakeaccountofaseriesofpar­
ameterswhichhallmarkfishingintheseregions,inter
aliatheneednottoexceedcurrentfishinglevels.
4.3.2.Aspartofamoresocio-economic oriented
approach,itshouldnotbeforgottenthatfishingis
particularlyimportantfortheislandsoftheAzoresand
Madeira,whichareoutlyingregionsoftheCommunity
andparticularlydisadvantaged economically .
4.4.ZoneslocatedintheICESVb,VI,VII,VIIIa,
bandddivisions
4.4.1.Soastosimplifyandfacilitatemanagement ,
assetoutinpoint4.1.4,someadjustmentsshouldbe
possibleinthesezones.
(2)Article11,Regulation (EEC)No3760/92.
(')ForSpainandPortugal,thisexceptionreferstolocaltrans­
frontieragreementsfortheMinhoandtheGuadiariaareas.(3)OJNoC201,26.7.1993,p.52.
(4)FisheriesCouncilof19/20December1992.

10.11.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC304/7
4.9.Limitationoffishingeffort 4.5.Eskotetriangle
4.5.1.Thiszonewasdevisedasacompromise
betweentherespectiverightsofSpainandFrance(l)
regardingtheircoastalwaters..Inthiscase,andforeach
MemberState,thegeographicalzonesofcoastalwaters
andthespeciestherein!2)are,intheory,guaranteed
until31December2002.However,ifthepartiescon­
cernedshouldsowish,anamendmentcouldbedrawn
uptosimplifyfishingoperations .Thus,thetriangle
locatedunderSpanishjurisdictioninthesouth-west
sectorofzoneVHIb(map2,AnnexI)wouldbeincor­
poratedintothearrangementsforzonesICESVIIIc.4.9.1.Inanalysingadjustmentstobemadetothe
accessionarrangements from1996onwards,another
questionarisingiswhetherotherapproachesareposs­
iblegiventhecurrentstateofboththesectorandfish
resources,notwithstanding adjustmentsalreadyintro­
ducedtocurrentfishingcapabilitiesunderstructural
policies.
4.9.2.ItisimportanttoknowhowMemberStates
willhavecompliedwiththefleetrestructuringarrange­
mentsimposedonthemundertheMulti-annualGuid­
anceProgrammes .
4.9.3.Asacknowledged bytheCommissionitselfin
the1992report,itshouldnotbeforgottenontheother
handthatSpainandPortugalpreviouslyhadlittleorno
accesstotechnologiesandgearforboostingefficiency.
4.9.4.Asregardstheawardofspeciallicencesfor
vesselsnotincludedinthebasiclistandwhichare
intendedfornon-demersal fishing,theinstrumentmust
covernotonlytheSpanishandPortuguesefleetsas
indicatedinthereport,butalsothefleetofthe'Ten'.
Itshouldbepointedoutthatthesearespeciallicences
forcertainfishinggrounds,speciesandgear.4.6.Article349oftheAA
4.6.1.Inaddition,thepossibilityofincreasingthe
quantitiesofbluewhitingandhorsemackerel(3000
tonnesallocatedtoPortugaleachyear)shouldbecon­
sidered;otherwiseitwillbedifficultforthePortuguese
fleet'sfishingoperationstobeprofitable.
4.7.FishingagreementsbetweenSpainandPortugal
4.7.1.Infixingthefishingpossibilitiesforvessels
fromeachcountryintheother'swaters,accountshould
betakenbytheCounciloftheprincipleofrelative
stability.Currentrestrictionsonthefishingeffortfor
certainspeciesandonthenumberofvesselsandfishing
gearshouldbemaintainedonareciprocalbasis.4.10.Monitoring
4.8.Catchlimitations4.10.1.AsstatedbytheCommitteeonseveral
occasions,itisvitaltomonitorregulatedactivities
inordertosecureaneffectiveresourceconservation
policy.
4.10.2.Thebasisforthisisalegalandlogistical
instrumentvaryingconsiderablyfromonecountryto
another.Thenewarrangementsformonitoringappli­
cationoftheCFP,notyetapproved,canprovidethe
basisneededformoreeffective,consistentlegalarrange­
ments.
4.10.3.Inmanyaspects,thesolutiontothemonitor­
ingproblemdependsontheresponsetoanumberof
questions,interaliaontheharmonization ofsanctions
applicablebyMemberStates,boostingtheCom­
mission'sinspectionpowers,useofadvancedtech­
nology,etc.4.8.1.TheCommitteereiteratesthecommentsmade
inpreviousOpinionsregardingtheneedtomaintainthe
TotalAllowableCatches(TACs)andQuotas,although
withimprovements ,withaviewtoconservationand
sensiblemanagementofresources.Moreover,totake
greateraccountofactualcircumstances inthesector,
itwouldhighlightthepossibilityofestablishingmulti­
speciesandmulti-annualTACsandanannualcarry­
oversystem(3).
4.8.2.Specialattentionshouldbegiventodeveloping
fisheriesresearchusingexistingprogrammes .ACom­
munityinformationpolicywhichmadeiteasierfor
informationtobepassedontointerestedpartiesabout
Communityprogrammesforsteppingupresearchinto
marinesubjectsingeneral,andfishingmattersinpar­
ticular,wouldbeawelcomestep.4.10.4.Inthiscaseitisvitalthattherebemore
cooperationbetweenallMemberStatestoachieve
stricterapplicationofthelegalinstrument .
4.10.5.Aqualitativechange,inthesenseofsubstitut­
ingadhocregulationsoncethenecessaryguarantees
areinplace,suchastheuseofsatellitemonitoring,can(!)OJNoL302,15.11.1985.
(2)Art.3,Regulation (EEC)No3760/92.
(3)OJNoC223,31.8.1992,p.30.

NoC304/8 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 10.11.93
beastepintherightdirection.Thismustnot,however,
bediscriminatory .WheretheAAisconcerned,newtechnologiesmustbeappliedtoallvessels,whether
Spanish,PortugueseorfromtheTen.
DoneatBrussels,22September1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN
Opinionontheproposalfor?.CouncilRegulation (EEC)layingdownthetradearrangements
applicabletocertaingoodsresultingfromtheprocessingofagriculturalproducts(*)
(93/C304/05)
On5May1993,theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon3September1993.TheRapporteur
wasMrGardner.
Atits308thPlenarySession(meetingof22September1993)theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionunanimously .
1.Introduction
1.1.Thisproposaldealswiththeeffectsofmechan­
isms:importleviesandexportrefunds.
1.1.1.WhentheECexportsitsproductsitusesthe
'refund'tomakeupthedifferencebetweentheECprice
andtheinternationalprice;failuretoalignthetwo
priceswouldexcludetheECfromtheworldmarket.
1.1.2.TheleviesareasourceofrevenuefortheEC
budget,whiletherefundscomeunderexpenditure .1.2.2.Itshouldalsobenotedthatwhenprocessed
productsareexportedontothirdcountrymarkets,
therefundisbasedsolelyonthequantityofbasic
agriculturalproduct(cereals,sugar,milk,etc.)usedin
theprocessedproduct.
1.2.3.WhentheCommunityimportsprocessedagri­
culturalproductsfromcountrieswithwhomithas
concludedpreferentialagreements,thefixedcom­
ponentisalmostalwayswaived;hencethelevyisbased
solelyonthevariablecomponent .
1.2.4.Processedproductstodayaccountforan
importantshareofproductsforhumanconsumption ;
sufficeittonotethat75%ofagriculturalproduction
undergoesfirstorevensecondorthirdprocessing
beforeitisconsumed .1.2.Thesameruleappliestoprocessedagricultural
products;whencalculatingboththelevyandtherefund,
accountistakenofthequantityofbasicagricultural
productusedintheprocessedproduct.
1.2.1.Itshouldbeborneinmindthatinthecase
ofprocessedproducts,externalprotectionisnormally
providedbothbythelevy(avariablecomponent )and
byacustomsdutydesignedtoprotecttheECprocessing
industry(afixedcomponent).1.2.5.Hencetheneedtopayincreasingattentionto
thoseproducts,whichareregulatedatEClevelby
Regulations (EEC)Nos3033/80(imports)and3035/80
(exports).
1.3.BothRegulationshavebeenamendedmany
timesbyaCouncilprocedurewhichisslowand (!)OJNoC126,7.5.1993,p.13.