WRITTEN QUESTION No. 842/98 by Freddy BLAK to the Commission. Approval of trawlers
Date: 1998-03-11
Institutions: BLAK, European Parliament
Subjects: Denmark, Russia, deep-frozen product, economic consequence, fishing permit, fishing vessel, health control, import, public health, sea fish

21. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 323/83

(98/C 323/110)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0842/98

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(11 March 1998)

Subject: Approval of trawlers

An EU rule that trawlers landing frozen cod at EU ports have to be approved for the purpose will have disastrous
consequences for the fishery industry and hence employment on the Danish island of Bornholm.

The Russian authorities are not approving enough trawlers. At present only 6 or 8 of more than 250 trawlers from
the Barents Sea have been approved. This would mean shortages of frozen cod on Bornholm from April onwards
and hence a loss of jobs.

1. Will the Commission amend the approval provisions so that fish frozen at sea on freezer vessels may be
landed within a reasonable time without such vessels having to be approved by the Russian authorities?

2.

If that is impossible, how does the Commission think this problem is going to be solved?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Imports of fishery products from third countries are regulated since 1991 by Council Directive 91/493/EEC of
22 July  1991  laying  down  the  health  conditions  for  the  production  and  the  placing  on  the  market  of  fishery
products (1). This Directive also provides the conditions for internal production and foresees that the provisions
applied to imports of fishery products shall be, at least, equivalent to those governing Community production. In
particular, they provide the conditions that shall met by establishments to be approved to place fishery products
on the Community market. It should be pointed out that the Directive includes as establishments not only land
establishments but also vessels (factory, frozen or fishing).

Specific import conditions for Russia are established in Commission Decision 97/102/EC of 16 January 1997
laying down special conditions governing the import of fishery and aquaculture products originating in Russia (2)
including the list of approved establishments. This list is permanently updated and at present includes 69 freezer
vessels, 79 factory vessels and 21 processing plants. In the next weeks 8 factory vessels and 4 freezer vessels will
be included. Currently there are at least 27 approved Russian vessels fishing cod in the Barents sea. Very soon
3 more  will  be  added.  The  control  of  these  establishments  is  a  very  important  matter  of  public  health  and
therefore imports can only be allowed from those establishments included in the list.

The Commission is aware of the problem raised by the Honourable Member. It has been discussed in several
meetings of the standing veterinary committee and it will be tabled again in future meetings. The Agriculture
Council of 16-17 February 1998 also discussed the topic.

The  Commission  is  also  ready  to  verify  the  effectiveness  of  Commission  Decision  97/102/EC  across  the
Community  and  if  necessary  to  take  the  appropriate  measures.  However  in  no  case  should  be  the  level  of
consumer protection in the Community be jeopardised.

(1)  OJ L 268, 24.9.1991.
(2)  OJ L 35, 5.2.1997.

(98/C 323/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0847/98

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(26 March 1998)

Subject: Recognition of the sign language used by the deaf-and-dumb in the EU

Almost ten years have passed since the European Parliament adopted a resolution on 17 June 1988 (1) calling for
the  official  recognition  of  the  national  sign  languages  used  by  the  deaf-and-dumb  in  the  Member  States  of