WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2369/97 by Carmen FRAGA ESTÉVEZ to the Commission. Abuse of power by the President of the Commission
Date: 1997-07-01
Institutions: European Parliament, FRAGA ESTEVEZ
Subjects: EU Member State, EU law - national law, EU waters, European Commission, United Kingdom, abuse of power, catch quota, common fisheries policy, fishing licence

C 76/96

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11. 3. 98

(98/C 76/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2334/97

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

(30 June 1997)

Subject: Commission position on joint Spanish-British fisheries undertakings

According to the statements which the British Prime Minister and his Minister for Agriculture made to the British
Parliament and the press on 18 June 1997, following the recent Amsterdam summit, the British Government has
received written support (in the form of a letter) from the President of the Commission for its fisheries policy as
regards  the  introduction  of  new  conditions  governing  the  operation  of  joint  Spanish-British  fisheries
undertakings fishing in Community waters off the United Kingdom.

Did the Commission give a written undertaking to support measures put forward unilaterally by the British

1.
Government?

2. What legal and political significance does the Commission place on the above letter?

3. What exactly did the letter say?

4.

5.

Did the Commission take the Spanish Government(cid:146)s opinion into account before forwarding the letter?

Did it consult the undertakings concerned before taking such a step?

6.
Does it feel that it has fulfilled its duty faithfully to uphold the treaties and the fundamental principles and
freedoms deriving therefrom by intervening in support of a national government proposal concerning a matter on
which the Court of Justice has already handed down several rulings regarding the legality of the activities of such
undertakings (many of which are still waiting for the British authorities to pay them compensation in compliance
with  those  rulings),  which  are  operating  in  compliance  with  the  fundamental  principles  and  freedoms  of  the
single market enshrined in the Treaty?

(98/C 76/193)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2369/97

by Carmen Fraga Este·vez (PPE) to the Commission

(1 July 1997)

Subject: Abuse of power by the President of the Commission

On 17 June 1997 the President of the Commission, Mr Santer, wrote to the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair,
placing the services of DG XIV at the disposal of the British Government to assist it in resolving, in a way which
would satisfy its interests, its dispute with other Member States regarding the right to register boats in any EU
Member  State,  a  right  which  has  until  now  figured  among  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Treaties,  which
enshrine the free movement of persons, capital and goods throughout Community territory; the letter also offered
a range of initiatives on ways of restricting the above freedoms to one Member State. In view of the serious
nature of this action by Mr Santer, which may imply that neither the Treaties nor the Community Courts have any
value  in  the  face  of  a  President(cid:146)s  purely  personal  wishes  and  friendships,  can  the  Commission  offer  any
explanation for Mr Santer(cid:146)s decision and motives, bearing in mind that, in addition to the doubtful legality of the
measures  proposed  in  the  letter,  this  unilateral  action  seriously  harms  the  democratic  image  of  Community
institutions among the public and strengthens in a most regrettable way the feeling that the increasingly frequent
criticism of the Commission(cid:146)s (cid:145)democratic deficit(cid:146) is far from being unfounded?

(98/C 76/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2389/97

by Carmen Fraga Este·vez (PPE) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Procedure established by the Commission with regard to quota hopping

It has been known for some time that members of the British government have been holding talks for months
with officials seconded from DG XIV with a view to finding a solution favourable to the British in connection