WRITTEN QUESTION P-4075/00

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Subject: Promotion of fisheries initiatives

One of the Community's objectives in the common fisheries policy is to ensure a fair standard of living for people for whom fishing is their livelihood.

The objectives of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance are to adapt fishing structures to current circumstances in the industry and to adapt and transform the social and economic conditions in fishing regions in order to cushion the impact of restructuring.

Under Title IV of Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999(1) of 17 December 1999 laying down the detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector and Title II, Chapter IV of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999(2) of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, technical assistance is seen as a means by which to achieve the objectives set.

Bearing in mind that municipal bodies in areas with fishing ports require specialised staff for job creation, consolidation and diversification, particularly with regard to fishing businesses engaged in small-scale or coastal fishing and promoting aquaculture, can the Commission say whether local bodies responsible for providing advice on and promoting fisheries initiatives which were previously eligible under the Pesca Community initiative (measures 1/2/4) will continue to be eligible for FIFG funding in the programming period 2000-2006?

Can the Commission say whether such measures will be eligible for subsidies under the Equal Community initiative as stated in paragraph 2 of Commission communication 2000/C127/02?

(1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999, p. 10.

(2) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2001)

The PESCA Community Initiative was not carried over to the new Structural Fund programming period (2000-2006) and the type of expenditure to which the Honourable Member refers can be subsidised only if it is on technical assistance in connection with implementation of FIFG programmes and qualifies for subsidy under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1685/2000 of 28 July 2000 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 as regards eligibility of expenditure on operations co-financed by the Structural Funds(1), Rule No 11 in which (Costs incurred in managing and implementing the Structural Funds) precisely specifies what categories of expenditure are eligible and up to what limit.

It is the competent authority designated by the Member State for management of the FIFG programme concerned that has the option, the abovementioned provisions applying, of delegating to local units responsibility for providing advice (asesoriamento) and organising promotion (promoción) for initiatives linked to structural programme for the fisheries sector.

The Equal Initiative includes support for the creation of advice and promotional services for entrepreneurial activity provided that these services take the form of projects that accord with the principles governing the Initiative (innovation, partnership, transnational cooperation, etc.) and are in line with the national rules laid down for its implementation (Community Initiative programme, programme complement, project selection rules).

(1) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000.