WRITTEN QUESTION No. 467/98 by Allan MACARTNEY to the Commission. Definition of time at sea under the MAGP IV
Date: 1998-02-27
Institutions: European Parliament, MACARTNEY
Subjects: EU programme, FIFG, census, data collection, fishing industry, sea

C 304/112

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

Exclusivity of broadcasting rights to important sports events may also be examined under another measure not
aimed at addressing competition problems. Article 3a of Directive 89/552/EEC, recently modified by Directive
97/36/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  30 June  1997  on  the  coordination  of  certain
provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of
television broadcasting activities (1), allows Member States to take measures in order to ensure that broadcasters
under their jurisdiction (cid:145)do not broadcast on an exclusive basis events which are regarded by the Member State as
being of major importance for society in such a way as to deprive a substantial proportion of the public in that
Member  State  of  the  possibility  of  following  such  events  via  live  coverage  or  deferred  coverage  on  free
television(cid:146). The Directive (recital No 21) makes it plain that these national measures may apply to events that (cid:145)are
of interest to the general public in the European Union, or in a given Member State, or in an important component
part of a given Member State(cid:146).

However, the current United Kingdom regulations ((cid:145)listed events(cid:146) Section 97 of the Broadcasting Act 1996) do
not include Scotland(cid:146)s qualifying matches for the European football championships. The Department of media,
culture and sport is responsible for keeping the United Kingdom(cid:146)s list under review.

(1)  OJ L 202, 30.7.1997.

(98/C 304/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0467/98

by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission

(27 February 1998)

Subject: Definition of time at sea under the MAGP IV

Can the Commission provide details of those Member States which intend to achieve effort targets under the
MAGP IV by a reduction in activity (i.e. number of days at sea) and indicate whether the definitions of time at sea
in each case correspond with those laid down in the multiannual guidance programmes?

Does the Commission appreciate that such definitions must be common to allow a proper assessment of fishing
effort under the MAGP?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1998)

The  Member  States  that  have  indicated  their  intention  to  use  activity  reductions  during  the  period  of  the
multiannual guidance programme (MAGP) IV are Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the
United Kingdom.

For the MAGPs, the activity of a vessel is measured in the number of days spent at sea, as defined in Commission
Regulation (EC) No 109/94 (1) concerning the fishing vessel register of the Community.

This definition applies for all Member States. Over the period of the MAGP IV the Commission will verify for all
Member  States  that  the  way  in  which  activity  is  defined  and  measured  is  in  accordance  with  Community
legislation.

(1)  OJ L 19, 22.1.1994.