WRITTEN QUESTION No. 142/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Support for coastal fishing
Date: 1998-02-02
Institutions: ALAVANOS, European Parliament
Subjects: Greece, Structural Funds, VAT, inshore fishing, island region, labour market, modernisation aid, self-employed person, socioeconomic conditions, tax harmonisation













EUR-Lex - 91998E0142 - EN






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91998E0142

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 142/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Support for coastal fishing  


Official Journal C 323 , 21/10/1998 P. 0026 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0142/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (2 February 1998)Subject: Support for coastal fishingSmall-scale and coastal fishing accounts for the largest part of the fishing industry and employment in Greece.Harsh working conditions combined with the problems of employment in the industry brought about by the common fisheries policy, the basic objective of which is to cut back fishing to protect fish stocks in the Mediterranean, have left Greek fishermen in a precarious financial position.Since 1 January 1998, the Greek Government has defined workers in the fishing industry, on the basis of a Community directive, as self-employed, whereas they were previously grouped in the same category as farmers. The manner in which they are taxed has been changed and measures imposed which are impossible to carry out in practice, leading to justifiable protests by fishermen owing to the additional problems this situation has created in their industry.The EU regards support for small-scale coastal fishing and the island regions as a priority and the proposals for new arrangements for the fishing industry recognize the need for additional support measures for the coastal communities which are dependent on that type of fishing. Would the Commission, therefore, say what measures it will take to prevent coastal fishermen being subjected to regulations that will worsen their already poor economic and social position and to provide more support for their industry?Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (13 March 1998)The Commission is aware of the importance of small-scale coastal fishing in Greece where it provides a large number of jobs, on the islands in particular. The Commission is also anxious to secure the future of fishing, and is aware that this depends on the availability of resources. To help attain these objectives, this sector may benefit from a wide range of structural aid under the 'fisheries' operational programmes and the 'PESCA' Community Initiative (1994-1999). Special measures have also been adopted recently for small-scale coastal fishing; these focus in particular on the modernisation of the Aegean islands' fleet and on training fishermen in this region.With respect to the tax system for coastal fishing, under Article 25 of the Sixth Council Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes - Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment ((OJ L 145, 13.6.1977. )), in conjunction with Annex A, the special VAT scheme for farmers applies to freshwater fishery undertakings but not to coastal fishing ventures or deep-sea fisheries, which are therefore subject to normal VAT arrangements. The Commission has to ensure the uniform application of Community law in the Member States and this is why it has asked the Greek Government to subject coastal fishing to the normal VAT arrangements.