EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/611

(2004/C 84 E/0686)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0520/04

by Giovanni Fava (PSE) to the Commission

(17 February 2004)

Subject: Proposal for a regulation on technical measures regarding fisheries in the Mediterranean

Knowing that:

— European fisheries associations are united in opposition to the proposal for new technical measures for fisheries in the Mediterranean (1).

— The proposal would lead to the creation of an unbridgeable gap between Member States and third countries and would permanently hinder the harmonious development of the Mediterranean.

— It also ignores the social and economic impact of legislation and the inconsistency of the socio-economic measures contained in structural policy.

Does the Commission intend to withdraw the proposal at the appropriate time and to rewrite the text following genuine, sincere and in-depth consultations with representatives of the industry?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 March 2004)

The Commission has no intention of withdrawing this proposal.

The Commission is not aware that fishermen's associations were opposed to the temporary technical measures in the Mediterranean in the document referred to in the written question. These measures have been adopted by the Council as part of Council Regulation (EC) No 2287/2003 of 19 December 2003 fixing, for 2004, the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for Community vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required (2).

If the Honourable Member intended to refer to the Proposal for a Council Regulation concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea (3), the Commission considers that the opposition shown by fishermen's associations, particularly in the recent public hearing before the Fishery Committee of the Parliament, is comparable to reactions from the fisheries sector to other Commission proposals. Strong opposition from the fishing industry to measures intended to reduce fishing effort or its impact on sustainability is not unusual.

However, the Honourable Member should be aware that there are several divergent positions within the fishing industry on specific points of the Commission proposal. What is acceptable for certain fisheries or fishermen provokes opposition from others.

The Commission proposal is not intended to undermine the interests of Community fishermen but, on the contrary, to address the problems they are facing in terms of a reduction of catch possibilities in a number of important Mediterranean fisheries and to deliver sustainable fisheries in the region.

In the Commission's view, it is for the Community, as the largest fishing power in the Mediterranean region, to give a clear signal of its commitment to sustainable fishing, while at the same time taking action to persuade third countries to cooperate towards the same end within the multilateral framework of the General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean. This regional fisheries organisation is going to be further strengthened thanks to the initiatives of the Community, including the recent Ministerial Conference in Venice.

Socio-economic measures to counteract possible negative effects on the sector of fisheries management measures may already be taken by Member States. In the Commission's view, the proposed transitional period of six years for the entry into force of the mesh size increases foreseen in the proposed Regulation will avoid drastic and sudden changes that would be difficult for the sector to cope with.

Consultation with the fishing industry on the improvement of fisheries policy in the Mediterranean Sea started well before the issue of the Green Paper on the reform of the Common fisheries policy (CFP) (4) in 2001 and has continued since. Two meetings were held with the industry in 2003 before the latest proposals were presented. The Commission intends to organize further meetings with the fishing industry at national level.

(1) COM(2003) 746 final.

(2) OJ L 344, 31.12.2003.

(3) COM(2003) 589 final.

(4) COM(2001) 135 final.