NoC352/46 OfficialjournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 30,12.93
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)settingthetermsunder
whichfishingvesselsflyingathirdcountryflagmaylandandmarkettheircatchesat
Communityports(!)
(93/C352/12)
On10September1993theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsible'forpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon13October1993.TheRapporteurwas
MrMunizGuardado .
Atits309thPlenarySession(meetingof20October1993),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedthefollowingOpinionunanimously .
1.Generalcomments 1.6.ApplicationoftheRegulationshouldstabilize
theCommunitymarketinlinewiththeobjectivesof
theCommonFisheriesPolicy.
1.1.RegulationEECNo695/93establishessafe­
guardmeasuresapplicabletotheplacinginfreecircu­
lationoffisheryproductslandedintheCommunityby
fishingvesselsfromthirdcountries,butdoesnotcover
checksonlandingsbymerchantvessels,landtransport
andothermeans.Thislackofprecisionrendersineffec­
tivesomeofthepriceandhealthcontrolsestablished
bytheRegulation .
1.2.TheUnitedNationsConventionontheLawof
theSea,signedatMontegoBayon10December1982,
expresslyrecognizestherightofStatestoregulatethe
termsofaccesstotheirinternalwatersandportinstal­
lations.
1.3.Thedestabilization ofCommunitymarketsby
importsnecessitatestheadoptionofadefinitiveand
effectiveRegulationtocontrollandingsbythirdcoun­
tryvessels;itmustbedraftedinsuchawayasto
avoidanyvaguenessorinconsistency ,especiallyinthe
observanceoftherulesgoverningcatches,landingsand
marketing.2.Specificcomments
2.1.Article1
OnthetermsofthisRegulationfishingandmerchant
vesselsflyingtheflagoforregisteredinathirdcountry
areauthorizedtolandatportsofMemberStatesof
theCommunity ,forreleaseforfreecirculationand
marketing,theircatchesandthoseofothervessels
transhippedatsea.
2.2.Article2
ForthepurposesofthisRegulationthefollowingdefi­
nitionshallapply:
Fishingvessel:
—-avessel,whateveritsdimensionsandwhatever
methodsandgearareemployed(providedtheycom­
plywiththelegalrequirements),usedprimarilyor
secondarilytotakefisheryproducts;
2.3.Article3
FishingandmerchantvesselsasindicatedinArticle1
maynotlandtheircatchesforreleaseforfreecirculation
andmarketingexceptatportsequippedtocarryoutat
anytimeallthehealthandveterinarychecksprovided
forbytherulesinforceforfisheryproductsfrom
thirdcountries,andtocheckthattheycomplywith
marketingrequirements (size,price,etc.).
2.4.Article41.4.Merchantvesselswhichtransportfish(both
freshandfrozen)shouldberegardedasfishingvessels
andcomeundertheRegulation ;theyshouldbepermit­
tedtolandtheirfishonlyatportswithpermanent
inspectionfacilities.
1.5.Fisheryproductsnotsoldatpublicauction
should,onimport,respectthereferenceprice,sothat
somecontrolcanbeexercisedoverprices(theselling
pricemustbesubjecttoobservanceofthereference
price).
(i)OJC219,13.8.1993,p.16. 2.4.1.Fisheryproductslandedfromafishingormer­

30.12,93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC352/47
chantvesselasindicatedinArticle1maynotbesold
bypublicauction:
a)untilthemasterhasdrawnupandgiventothe
competentauthoritiesastatementofthequantities
ofeachspecieslanded,brokendownbypermitted
size.
2.4.2.Shouldfisheryproductslandedfromafishing
ormerchantvesselasindicatedinArticle1beputup
forsaleotherthanbypublicauctionthesaleshallbe
validandtheproductsmayberemovedbythepurchaser
onlyafterthestatementspecifiedat(a)inparagraph2
hasbeenproduced,thechecksspecifiedat(b)inpara­
graph2havebeeneffectedwithasatisfactoryoutcome;
andthereisaguaranteeofacheckontheprice(the
sellingpricemustbesubjecttoobservanceoftherefer­
enceprice).
2.4.3.Customsclearancemaybeeffectedonlyfol­
lowingproductionofevidencethattheoutcomeof
allthechecks(health,veterinaryandmarketing)is
satisfactory .
2.5.Article5
2.5.1.Wherefisheryproductslandeddirectlyfrom
afishingormerchantvesselasindicatedinArticle1arelistedinAnnexesIorVItoCouncilRegulation
(EEC)No3759/92of17December1992onthecommon
organizationofthemarketinfisheryandaquaculture
productsandarelandedorputupforsalewithinthe
areaofactivityforwhichaproducers'organizationis
recognized,theymaybesoldonlyincompliancewith
therulessetbythatorganizationonwithdrawalor
sellingprice,onqualityorforthepurposeofregulating
supply.Wherethereisnorecognizedproducers'organ­
ization,therelevantImplementingRegulation,derived
fromtheBasicMarketRegulation,shallapplybyexten­
sion;itshalllaydowntherequirementswhichpro­
ducersfromnationalfisheriesorganizationsmustcom­
plywithandshallapplybyextensiontothirdcountry
operatorslandingtheirfishinportsdesignatedforthis
purpose.
2.5.2.Wherelandingandsaletakeplaceoutsidesuch
anareaproductslistedunderAnnexl.A,DorEof
Regulation (EEC)No3759/92mayundernocircum­
stancesbesoldbelowtheCommunitywithdrawalor
sellingpricesetforthecurrentmarketingyearunder
Article11or13ofthatRegulation .
2.5.3.Fisheryproductslandeddirectlyfromafishing
ormerchantvesselasindicatedinArticle1thatare
listedinAnnexIItoRegulation (EEC)No3759/92may
notbesoldbelowthethresholdpricesetbyArticle16(2)
ofthatRegulationfortriggeringoffprivatestorageaid.
DoneatBrussels,20October1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN