WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1121/96 by Josu IMAZ SAN MIGUEL to the Commission. Possible American sanctions on imports of Italian fish
Date: 1996-05-13
Institutions: European Parliament, IMAZ SAN MIGUEL
Subjects: Italy, United States, export restriction, international sanctions, sea fish













EUR-Lex - 91996E1121 - EN






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91996E1121

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1121/96 by Josu IMAZ SAN MIGUEL to the Commission. Possible American sanctions on imports of Italian fish  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0029 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1121/96 by Josu Imaz San Miguel (PPE) to the Commission (13 May 1996)Subject: Possible American sanctions on imports of Italian fishThe decision by the International Trade Tribunal in New York may mean an immediate ban on imports of Italian fish products and products derived therefrom due to that country's breach of United Nations rules on the use of drift nets.The possible ban on American imports of Italian fish may lead to an imbalance in the European market due to the threat of an excess supply which may adversely affect the market balance and harm producers in other Community countries.One of the Commission's legal obligations as guarantor of the EU Treaty, specifically by virtue of Article 39(1)(c), is to stabilize markets for fish products. The Commission should not wait for this imbalance to come about without taking action on the causes of the American boycott of Italian imports, which, in economic terms, may represent an additional supply amounting to Ptas 150.000 millions.If the ban on imports approved by the New York tribunal is due to the use of illegal drift nets by the Italian fleet, the Commission should consider the fact that illegal fishing has continued despite the great efforts made to monitor drift nets during the past summer. This appears to indicate that the solution is to be found in a total ban on such nets.Will the Commission take any measures in response to the possible US boycott of Italian fish imports?Will the Commission raise this question at the Fisheries Council meeting on 22 April 1996, in its capacity as the body responsible for stabilizing the markets for fish products in accordance with the Treaty?Answer given by Ms Bonino on behalf of the Commission (1 July 1996)The value of exports of fishery products from Italy to the United States is not around Ptas 150 000 million but around Ptas 300 million. If the figure of Ptas 150 000 million includes products other than those covered by the common organization of the market in fishery products, those other products which were also covered by an embargo would have no effect upon the stability of the market in fishery products. A list of exports from Italy to the United States of the products covered by the common organization of the market in fishery products is being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat (1994 figures: quantity exported: 455 tonnes; value exported: ECU 1.7 million).If the United States adopts unilateral trade sanctions against imports of products from Italy, the Commission will in any event react on the basis of the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.The matter was not raised at the Council meetings on 22 April or 10 June.