WRITTEN QUESTION E-1371/02

by Sergio Berlato (UEN), Cristiana Muscardini (UEN),Roberta Angelilli (UEN), Roberto Bigliardo (UEN), Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN),Antonio Mussa (UEN), Mauro Nobilia (UEN), Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN)and Franz Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: State of crisis in the European acquaculture sector

Greek production of sea bass and gilthead seabream is continuing to cause serious damage to the whole European industry, owing to both the Greek industry itself and inadequate supervision on the part of the Commission and the Greek Government.

The four most important producer countries (France, Italy, Portugal and Spain) have asked the Commission to consider the issue again in greater detail, in order to ensure just and fair competition among all the Member States, since Greek producers have for some time been selling the product well below the cost price.

Can the Commission take urgent action to ensure that the Greek Government complies and ensures compliance with current legislation?

Can it introduce a strict monitoring system to ensure that public subsidies in Greece are used exclusively for their original purpose?

Does it intend to draft a new Green Paper setting out a more realistic approach to the development of acquaculture in Europe over the next ten years, by laying down parameters to encourage progressive but healthy development?

What steps will it take to put a stop to a situation which is becoming more and more serious and alarming for the whole European acquaculture industry?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2002)

The Commission has closely followed the issue of farmed sea bass and sea bream market prices in the Union, there have not been any indications of violations of applicable Community regulations. The Commission is keeping regular contacts with both national authorities of the Member States as well as producers in order to have a clear view of the situation.

The financial instrument for fisheries guidance (FIFG) subsidies to aquaculture in Greece are granted in the framework of the existing regulation by the national authorities, which are responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the multi-annual plans for fisheries. The Commission has already suggested to the Greek authorities the implementation of a computer-based system to monitor the parameters of the farms producing sea bass and sea bream. The use of this system, that is currently under development, may allow for reliable forecasts of future production thus avoiding overproduction.

The Commission has already stressed in the Green Paper(1) that it considers that the market has to be the driving force of aquaculture development, and that it is questionable whether the Community should continue to subsidise investments by private companies in production capacity for species where the market is close to saturation. Future Community initiatives in favour of aquaculture development will be taken along these lines.

The situation of the market for farmed sea bass and sea bream was discussed at the meeting of the Management Committee for Fisheries Products on 9 April 2002 and at a special meeting between the Commission and the Member States most concerned on 16 May 2002. None of these meetings has given a clearer view of whether there is a structural crisis or whether problems currently encountered are of a seasonal nature. In this respect, the Member States concerned committed to gather further information with a view to carry out a more in-depth analysis of the situation of the market for these species.

(1) COM(2001) 135 final.