WRITTEN QUESTION E-3854/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 December 2000)

Subject: Enlargement and fisheries

After two years of negotiations with the applicant countries in the Luxembourg Group (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus) and the start of negotiations with the Helsinki Group (Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Malta) on 28 March this year, the European Parliament has adopted a new resolution (R5-0417/2000(1) of 4 October 2000) on the enlargement of the European Union, setting out the EP's requests with regard to the accession procedure and the negotiations being held on the subject. In its contribution to the resolution Parliament's Committee on Fisheries made a number of demands concerning fisheries.

Could the Commission indicate the approximate timetable for the fisheries debate in the context of the accession negotiations with both the Luxembourg Group and the Helsinki Group and, if appropriate, the stage reached in the negotiations and the progress made so far?

Can the Commission say whether the fisheries negotiations will take account of the concerns of the Committee on Fisheries, in particular the urgent need to remedy the considerable shortcomings in the administration of fisheries in most of the applicant countries as regards environmental and health standards, as well as inspection and control measures, the need for reliable information on the structure of the fisheries sector in the applicant countries, the abolition of distortions such as flags of convenience, and the administrative structures needed to provide detailed and reliable information on the fisheries sector and ensure full compliance with the acquis?

(1) Texts adopted of 4 October 2000, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2001)

The Commission is aware of the resolution referred to by the Honourable Member and can support the largest part of its recommendations, for fisheries.

Accession negotiations on the fisheries chapter have been opened in April 1999 with Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia and in October 2000 with Latvia, Slovakia and Malta. This chapter has been provisionally closed with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus, Estonia and with Slovakia, in the light of the commitments by these countries for their preparations to the full implementation of the acquis concerning fisheries.

The Commission attaches a particular importance to the development of the appropriate administrative capacity to implement the Common Fisheries Policy, with a particular emphasis on monitoring, inspection and control activities. Attention is also paid to the capacity regarding the structural and market measures. The Commission is also attentive to the development of a fully separate and exhaustive register of all fishing vessels under the applicant state flag, in full conformity with the Community requirement. As a consequence of this, it is no longer possible to maintain flags of convenience in the fisheries sector.

As regards the environmental standards, these are dealt with under the Chapter 22-Environment. As regards health standards, i.e. hygiene and veterinary requirements, these are dealt with under Chapter 7-Agriculture, including those relating to fish and fisheries products.