WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1071/96 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Fishing issues in Essex and Kent
Date: 1996-05-13
Institutions: European Parliament, HOWITT
Subjects: EU aid, South East (England), common fisheries policy, competence of the Member States, conservation of fish stocks, fishing fleet, fishing vessel, industrial fishing, modernisation aid, national law













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91996E1071

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1071/96 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Fishing issues in Essex and Kent  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0027 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1071/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (13 May 1996)Subject: Fishing issues in Essex and KentDoes the Commission accept that the common fisheries policy rules are giving incentives for the building of 70 - 80 foot 'Eurocutters' in order to employ intensive 'factory fishing' techniques, but which are allowed access to fish up to three miles off shore? Does the Commission also agree that small under-10m boats are being built precisely because they can avoid the limits altogether? If so, what actions are proposed to rectify these blatant distortions in the markets, and attempts to evade proper conservation targets?Joint answer to Written Questions E-1071/96, E-1072/96 and E-1073/96 given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (6 June 1996)Community aid is provided for measures adopted in Community programmes for fisheries within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 of 21 December 1993 ((OJ L 346, 31.12.1993. )). Individual fisheries projects, including construction or modernisation of fishing vessels cited by the Honourable Member are considered by the Member State in accordance with the programme indicated above and having regard to the capacity reduction targets fixed in the multiannual guidance programmes (MAGP) for the United Kingdom fishing fleet.The Commission does not feel that the above-mentioned measures favour construction or modernisation of vessels of a particular length, design or type of fishing gear. Also, it is not correct to say that incentives are used to finance new constructions under 10 metres in length to avoid conservation or territorial limits.The purpose of a measure such as decommissioning is to reduce fishing capacity in line with MAGP targets. The United Kingdom decommissioning scheme requires the surrender and suppression of the licence attached to the decommissioned vessel. The fleet capacity is, therefore, reduced irrespective of whether the owner purchases another existing licence or not. The measure satisfies the purpose for which it was introduced by reducing the size of the United Kingdom fishing fleet.Provided that national legislation does not contravene the fundamental principles of the EC Treaty, in particular the prohibition of discrimination, and provided that exemptions from taxation do not amount to unlawful state aids, Community law cannot interfere with the autonomy of a Member State in matters of taxation. Member States can apply their own social and fiscal law in relation to matters of income, as long as they are in conformity with the Treaty and the aims of the common fisheries policy are not impeded.