WRITTEN QUESTION E-3655/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(18 December 2002)

Subject: Black tide in Galicia: worst affected sectors

The Prestige disaster has hit a region which is heavily dependent on fishing. The coastal fleet has been paralysed. The damage caused is inestimable. Those coastal fishermen who have been able to go to sea have already found, even in areas supposedly not affected by the oil spill, that species usually found in the traditional fishing grounds have disappeared.

Moreover, there is a booming aquaculture industry in the districts affected, which provides a large number of jobs and helps to make the European Union the largest world producer of mussels and turbot, for example. The oil slicks have ruined not only the current harvest of both mussels and turbot but also, in the case of mussels, future harvests as well. It is well known that this industry gathers live seed mussels along the coast of Galicia, and that this seed has been affected by the oil spill and has now died.

What specific measures is the Commission, and specifically its Fisheries DG, considering with a view to providing economic assistance for the Galician coastal fleet, and for the mussel and turbot-farming sectors?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-3655/02 and E-3656/02given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2003)

On 20 December the Council adopted a Regulation designed to help restore the fishery resources and aquaculture sites affected by the oil spill from the tanker Prestige(1).

This contains exceptional measures in support of persons and undertakings in the fishing, shellfish and aquaculture sector in the Spanish coastal zones affected by the oil pollution.

These measures provide for:

- financial compensation to persons and owners of enterprises for the temporary cessation of their activities,

- aid for replacement of fishing gear,

- aid for cleaning, repairing and reconstructing shellfish and aquaculture sites,

- financial compensation for replacement of shellfish stocks.

To facilitate and accelerate the granting of aid to victims of the pollution the Regulation also includes a number of waivers from the rules in Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/19(2) on eligibility of expenditure for part-financing from the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance.

It also authorises release of complementary appropriations (EUR 30 million) from the funds allocated for aid under Council Regulation (EC) No 2561/2001(3) aiming to promote conversion of fishing vessels and fishermen that were up to 1999 dependent on the fisheries agreement with Morocco.

The Commission received a formal request from the Spanish authorities on 14 January to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide financial assistance to deal with the consequences of the Prestige accident.

The Commission points out that the purpose of the Fund is to complement Member States' own efforts by covering a share of the public expenditure in order to help them carry out essential emergency operations as defined in Article 3(2) of the EUSF Regulation(4). Under sub-section (d) of Article 3(2) the immediate cleaning up of disaster-stricken areas, including natural zones, is considered an emergency operation. The Fund is intended mainly for dealing with major disasters with serious repercussions on living conditions, the natural environment or the economy. Only in exceptional circumstances and if a number of specific criteria set out in Article 2(2) (last subparagraph), of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 are met, may regional disasters causing damage of less than EUR 3 billion or 0,6 % of the gross national income (GNI) may be considered for EUSF aid.

Financial assistance under the EUSF Regulation covers public damage. Damage to private households and businesses, including indirect damage such as damage to tourism or the fishing industry, does not qualify for compensation. However, the Commission is now examining the application on the basis of the information received and will respond as quickly as possible in line with the requirements of the said Regulation.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2372/2002 of 20 December 2002 instituting specific measures to compensate the Spanish fisheries, shellfish industry and aquaculture, affected by the oil spills from the Prestige, OJ L 358, 31.12.2002.

(2) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(3) OJ L 344, 28.12.2001.

(4) Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of the 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF), OJ L 311, 14.11.2002.