Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION fixing for the 2001 fishing year the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annexes I and II and the Community producer price for the fishery products listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products requires a guide price to be fixed for each of the products listed in Annex I and each of the products and groups of products listed in Annex II thereto, on the basis of the average of prices recorded for a significant proportion of Community output on wholesale markets or in ports during the three fishing years immediately preceding the year for which the price is fixed.

When fixing those prices, account is also taken of trends in production and demand and other factors such as the need to ensure stable market prices and support producers' incomes and the interests of consumers.

Compared with the period 1997-99, averages prices for white fish significantly strengthened between 6% and 20% over the period 1998-2000, with the exception of prices for hake, redfish and plaice (-1%), dab (-8%) and flounder (-11%). During the first half of 2000, prices for white fish other than those species were higher than during the same period the previous year. In the light of this favourable market situation, the Commission proposes an increase in the guide prices of between 1% and 2% for most species of white fish, with the exception of plaice, dab and flounder, for which it proposes a small reduction. It is proposed to maintain current prices for dogfish, redfish and coalfish.

Average prices for pelagic species over the period 1998-2000 were between 11% lower and 20% higher than over the period 1997-99. While prices for sardines and Spanish mackerel increased, prices for herring, mackerel, anchovy and albacore tuna deteriorated, although to a lesser extent over the shorter term. The Commission is therefore proposing to reduce the guide price for those species, except for sardines (no change is proposed).

As regards the other species in Annex I, the Commission is proposing to increase the guide price for edible crabs, whole Norway lobsters and deep-water prawns, keep the existing guide price for shrimps and reduce the prices for Norway lobsters without heads and cuttlefish.

Prices for frozen products listed in Annex II have fallen over the short and medium term as a result of developments on world markets. Consequently, the Commission proposes to reduce the guide price for squid (Illex) by 5% and those for cuttlefish, octopus and hake fillets by 1% for the 2001 fishing year.

It is proposed to maintain the current prices for squid (Ommastrephes sagittatus), lesser or Greenland halibut, whole hake and sea bream.

In the light of long-term increases in prices, the guide prices for squid (Loligo patagonica), shrimps (Penaeidae) and prawns (Parapenaeus) should be increased by 1%.

Swordfish has been added to Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 and a guide price should therefore be fixed for the species.

In addition, Article 26 of Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 requires a Community producer price to be fixed for tuna intended for the canning industry, relating to a product with given commercial characteristics on the basis of the average of prices recorded for a significant proportion of Community output on wholesale markets or in ports during the three fishing years immediately preceding the year for which the price is fixed.

The average Community price fell considerably between 1998 and the first half of 2000.

Since the Community producer price is also close to the average market price, the Commission is proposing that the Community producer price for the 2001 fishing year be reduced by 5%.

Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION fixing for the 2001 fishing year the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annexes I and II and the Community producer price for the fishery products listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 of 17 December 1999 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products [1], and in particular Articles 18(3) and 26(3) thereof,

[1] OJ L 17, 21.1.2000, p. 22.

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) Article 18(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 requires a guide price to be fixed for each fishing year for each of the products and groups of products listed in Annexes I and II to that Regulation.

(2) On the basis of the data currently available on the prices for the products concerned and the criteria referred to in Article 18(2) of the above Regulation, those prices should be increased, maintained or reduced for the 2001 fishing year depending on the species.

(3) Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 requires a Community producer price to be fixed for each of the products listed in Annex III to that Regulation.

(4) Since Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3510/82 [2] lays down the conversion factors applicable to different species of tuna, Community producer prices need not be fixed for all species of tuna listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000, but only for yellow-fin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

[2] OJ L 368, 28.12.1982, p. 27. Regulation last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3899/92 (OJ L 392, 31.12.1992, p. 24).

(5) On the basis of the criteria laid down in the first and second indents of Article 18(2) and in Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000, the Community producer price for the 2001 fishing year should be reduced,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The guide prices for the fishing year from 1 January to 31 December 2001 for the products listed in Annexes I and II to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 and for the presentations and commercial categories to which they relate shall be as set out in the Annex hereto.

Article 2

The Community producer price for yellow-fin tuna (Thunnus albacares) for the fishing year from 1 January to 31 December 2001 is hereby fixed as follows:

(EUR/tonne)

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Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2001.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council

The President

ANNEX

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