WRITTEN QUESTION E-1057/02

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 April 2002)

Subject: Information policy on the revision of the common fisheries policy

The Commission's proposals on the revision of the common fisheries policy are expected in April. For this reason, action must be taken as of now in order to ensure that those who work in the sector receive the necessary information and are involved appropriately. This will enable the revision to be implemented more successfully and the interested parties to be more closely involved in the legislative process. This is an objective set out by the Commission in its Green Paper and supported by the European Parliament in its resolution of 17 January 2002 on the future of the common fisheries policy. The budget already contains a heading for dialogue with the fisheries sector (B2-903), under which information activities are also financed.

How much money in each Member State has actually been spent on information under heading B2-903, and what kind of information activities have been funded?

What action is the Commission intending to take in order to ensure that all necessary information regarding the revision of the common fisheries policy is made available?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2002)

The Commission's dual approach to closer dialogue with the fishing industry and other groups affected comprises, firstly, facilitating meetings and exchanges between trade associations and bodies involved at European level so as to prepare thoroughly the work of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) and, secondly, informing all groups affected about the objectives and measures of the common fisheries policy (CFP) so that they can become more closely involved in its conception and implementation.

In 2002 and 2003 the central theme of that approach will continue to be the reform of the CFP. The communication work which has accompanied discussion about the Green Paper on the future of the CFP is due to be followed by an initiative to present and explain the Commission's CFP reform proposals and, subsequently, the decisions adopted.

The communication and information initiative has two key aspects:

- producing and disseminating in written, audiovisual and electronic form and in all the EU official languages information material tailored to the target audiences' needs;

- developing communication instruments and direct forms of communication which maximise access, so that everyone concerned including those far away from the decision-making centres can easily obtain information on the CFP.

The following are scheduled for 2002:

- disseminating information on the Commission's CFP reform proposals as soon as they have been adopted and making related documents available in all the EU official languages, which involves:

distributing a brochure and the texts of the proposals by direct mail and via the networks concerned, and making them rapidly available on the special pages created on the CFP website; distributing press notices and explanatory notes, and disseminating them via the Internet; distributing explanatory audiovisual material, including via the Europe by Satellite (EbS) service;

- organising briefings for the media, the fishing industry and the other groups concerned in the Member States, so that they can put questions on the reform proposals directly to Commission representatives;

- distributing a special issue (comprising 15 000 copies in the 11 official languages) of the CFP magazine Fishing in Europe, devoted to the reform proposals;

- organising an Internet chat so that European citizens and anyone else concerned can discuss the CFP reform with the Commission Member responsible for agriculture and fisheries.

For 2002, budget heading B2-903 has been allocated EUR 1 513 million:

- EUR 400 000 will be devoted to reinforcing European trade associations in preparation for the ACFA's work; EUR 1 113 000 have been earmarked for the communication and information initiatives.

- A further EUR 117 000 have been allocated to heading B-903A for organising meetings of experts in particular regional workshops bringing together representatives from the fishing industry, the scientific world and the authorities in the Member States concerned to discuss specific questions relating to certain fisheries.

- To date, 2002 commitments comprise EUR 1 338 000 for heading B2-903 and EUR 113 000 for heading B2-903A. As a guide, the heading's 2001 commitments comprised EUR 1 009 000 from an available total of EUR 1.1 million.

Since the initiatives are carried out at European level, the amounts used to implement them are not broken down by Member State.