WRITTEN QUESTION E-2097/02

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

(16 July 2002)

Subject: Criteria for the classification of heavily fisheries-dependent regions

In his answer to Written Question E-0650/02(1) of 12 April 2002, Commissioner Fischler said that the Commission Green Paper on the future of the common fisheries policy included a report on the economic and social situation of coastal regions based on data obtained by the Commission via its own internal research or specific external studies. In order to measure in detail to what extent European regions depend on fisheries, 22 regional studies were carried out, one of which dealt specifically with Northern Spain (Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias and the Basque Country), and on which the report is to a great extent based. The conclusions suggest that some areas in northern Spain, in particular Galicia, are in fact very dependent on fisheries.

1. Can the Commission say whether it has carried out a comparative study of the 22 regional studies in order to determine the degree of dependence, and in what order, of the various European regions and, if so, what the conclusions are? If not, why has it not carried out such a study? Does it not consider that a comparative study of all the European regions dependent on fisheries should be carried out in order to define their comparative degree of dependence?

2. Can the Commission state the criteria for classifying a region as heavily fisheries-dependent for the purposes of allocating fishing opportunities?

3. What is the difference between a heavily fisheries-dependent region and a region very dependent on fisheries, such as Galicia, according to Community criteria?

4. Does the Commission not consider it necessary, in accordance with the Community legal concept of the progressivity principle, to update the list of heavily fisheries-dependent regions, now that the current one has been in force for 20 years, and include new regions dependent on fisheries, because of the various accessions of new Member States such as Spain and Portugal?

(1) OJ C 229 E, 26.9.2002, p. 114.

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2096/02 and E-2097/02given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 2002)

A detailed evaluation of employment and of the level of dependency on fishing of European regions was the aim of a series of 22 regional studies concluded in early 2000.

A co-ordination and consolidation study was conducted simultaneously, which included among other tasks:

- quantifying, describing and examining the level of regional dependency on fishing in the Community;

- examining the development of fishing employment and dependency since 1990.

The results of these tasks appear in the final report for this co-ordination and consolidation study which can be downloaded, as mentioned in Commission response to written question E-0650/02 by the Honourable Member(1), from the following address http://europa.eu.int/comm/fisheries/doc_et_publ/liste_publi/results.html. The major conclusions drawn by the contractors responsible for this study are presented in its executive summary which can also be downloaded from the same internet address, in pages 4 to 12 for the first of these two tasks, and 13 to 16 for the second one.

The concept of fisheries dependence is defined in Article 4.8. of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999(2) dealing with structural aid to the fisheries sector in Objective 2 regions. It does not appear in Council regulations such as those dealing with the allocation of fishing opportunities at Community level and their subdivision into national quotas allocated between Member States.

There is no conceptual difference, the Commission would be aware of, between a region highly dependent upon fishing and a region very dependent upon fishing.

The concept of fisheries dependence was introduced in the Council regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 after Spain and Portugal had become members. The dependence upon fishing of coastal areas which is of relevance to the definition to Objective 2 areas was thus taken into account by these two Member States when conforming to Article 4(3) and 4(4) of this Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, these two Member States and the Commission drew up the list of areas eligible under Objective 2.

Research project (QLRT-2000-2277) Elaboration et application d'un modèle calculable d'équilibre général à l'analyse de la contribution des activités halieutiques au développement régional (Developing and testing a general equilibrium model to estimate the contribution of fisheries activities to regional development), has started on 1 February 2002. It should last for 36 months and the relevant final report should not be available until early 2005, although intermediate results might become available much earlier. This research project aims at assessing and refining the methodology used for the regional socio-economic studies, and later to define new tools and models to assess the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to regional development. A similar type of methodological assessment was conducted after the previous batch of regional socio-economic studies in the early 1990's. Such methodological assessments are quite characteristic of the research process and should be repeated to ensure that the most up-to-date tools are used but they cannot be used as mere excuses to delay the integration of available scientific information in the policy making process.

As for the methodological study to establish socio-economic indicators to determine the relative importance of the fishery sector in the regions or zones most dependent on fisheries, with the aim of evaluating and comparing the impact of other management measures on the economic development of these regions or zones, it should be concluded before the end of 2002. The relevant results of this study could therefore be taken into account in the drafting of the Commission communication on the socio-economic impact of the the restructuring of the fisheries sector. This study also includes

methodological aspects dealing in particular with the statistical analysis of regional socio-economic data and the improvement of the coherence between such data. These methodological aspects will be of long tern rather than short term interest.

(1) OJ C 229 E, 26.9.2002, p. 114.

(2) Council regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.