WRITTEN QUESTION E-0452/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Relations between the EU and Chile and the landing of catches in Chilean ports

The satisfactory progress of the negotiations on the final chapters of the free-trade agreement between the EU and Chile should enable that agreement to be concluded during the current half year, as an expression of the close political and trade relations between the EU and Chile.

There is, however, one thing spoiling those relations, namely the Chilean authorities' ban on Community fishing vessels landing their catches in Chilean ports. A whole year after the EU and Chile reached an agreement on the subject, Community fishermen are still prevented from landing their catches in Chilean ports and are therefore required to do so in Peru, which leads to a significant increase in costs and distances.

The Chilean Government is apparently attempting to impose obligations on Community fishermen operating outside its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. This is an infringement of international law, under which freedom of navigation in international waters is guaranteed.

What action has the Commission taken (or is it going to take) in order to enable Community fishermen to land their catches in Chilean ports? Has the Commission thought of making the negotiation of the free-trade agreement (which includes Chilean fish exports to the EU) conditional upon the effective granting of the right actually to land catches in Chilean ports?

Does the Commission not feel that a regional fisheries organisation in the South Pacific (whose remit would also cover sword fish) would solve this problem and also lead to better conservation of resources?

Reply given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 2002)

The Community and Chile came to an arrangement in January 2001 under which the proceedings which the Community had initiated in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as those which Chile had launched in the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), were suspended.

This arrangement was negotiated independently of the free-trade agreement, and consists of three interrelated strands:

- a joint fisheries and research programme, under which four Community boats would have access to three Chilean ports;

- continued technical and scientific bilateral cooperation;

- multilateral cooperation to conserve swordfish stocks in the South-East Pacific.

Implementation of the first part of the arrangement the joint fisheries and research programme was conditional on finalising certain practical/technical aspects. The Commission and the Chilean authorities have held several meetings to settle these questions which had been left hanging; the technical aspects have now been resolved, and the programme can finally get underway. Once the Commission has received the names of the participating boats, it will submit the list to Chile, and the programme can then be launched.

As regards the second strand, the Bilateral Scientific and Technical Committee (BSTC) met in May 2001. Members held an exchange of information on fishing activities in the area concerned, as well as an exchange of views on the condition of swordfish stocks.

As regards the possibility of setting up a new regional fisheries organisation for the South-East Pacific, the Commission agrees that multilateral cooperation is the best way of ensuring long-term resource conservation. The third strand of the agreement therefore provides for the Community and Chile to launch a joint initiative to develop multilateral cooperation.

In this context, several of the parties involved with swordfish fisheries in the South-East Pacific will be invited to take part in an international consultation exercise to be held in Chile in May 2002. The main goal of this meeting is to define terms of reference and identify the most appropriate form for multilateral cooperation on sword fish conservation in the region.