Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation No 61/1999 allocating, for 1999, catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters
Date: 1999-10-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Lithuania, authorised catch, catch quota, fishing area, fishing regulations

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 14.10.1999
COM(1999) 473 final

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

amending Regulation No 61/1999 allocating, for 1999, catch quotas between
Member States for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

On the basis of the Agreement on Fisheries relations between the European
Community and the Republic of Lithuania of 20 December 19961, additional
consultations were held in 1999. They resulted in an agreement, by way of an
exchange of letters, on a transfer of an additional quota of 5,000 tonnes of sprat from
Lithuania to the Community.

Lithuania is compensated by way of a financial contribution of EUR 62,500, in
accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement.

The objective of this proposal is to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 61/19992 so as
to allocate among Member States the additional quota of sprat for 1999 in Lithuanian
waters.

1

2

OJ L 332, 20.12.1996, p. 7.
OJ L 13, 18.1.1999, p. 111.

2

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

amending Regulation No 61/1999 allocating, for 1999, catch quotas between
Member States for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992
establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture3, and in particular
Article 8 (4) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Council Regulation (EC) No 61/1999 allocates,
between Member States for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters4;

for 1999, catch quotas

In accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on fisheries
relations between the European Community and the Republic of Lithuania5,
and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Lithuania have
held further consultations concerning their mutual fishing rights for 1999 and
the management of common living resources;

In the course of these consultations, agreement was reached on a transfer of an
additional quota of 5,000 tonnes of sprat from Lithuania to the Community;

the catch possibilities available in
To ensure efficient management of
Lithuanian waters,
the additional quota should be allocated among the
Member States in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92;

(5)

Regulation (EC) No 61/1999 should be amended accordingly,

3

4

5

OJ L 389, 31.12.1992, p.1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1181/98
(OJ L 164, 9.6.1998, p. 1).
OJ L 13, 18.1.1999, p. 111.
OJ L 332, 20.12.1996, p. 7.

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HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

In the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 61/1999, the entry referring to sprat shall be
replaced by that set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

The financial contribution for the additional quota of sprat provided for in Article 4 of
the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the European Community and the
Republic of Lithuania shall be set at EUR 62,500, payable to an account designated by
Lithuania.

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in
the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member
States.

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

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ANNEX

Allocation of Community catch quotas in Lithuanian waters for 1999
(in metric tonnes, fresh round weight)

Species

ICES
division

Community
catch quota

Quotas allocated
to Member States

Sprat

III(d)

19 000

Denmark
Finland
Germany
Sweden

11 052
0
2 938
5 010

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FINANCIAL STATEMENT

1.

TITLE OF OPERATION

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 61/1999 allocating,
for 1999, catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Lithuanian waters.

2.

BUDGET HEADING(S) INVOLVED

B7-800

3.

LEGAL BASIS

Article 8 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92

4.

4.1

DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION

General objective

•

•

•

maintain and develop the traditional activity of Community fishermen in
Lithuanian waters;
supply the Community market; and

decrease the fishing effort in Community waters.

4.2

Specific objective

financial compensation to be paid in exchange of an additional quota of sprat

4.3

Period covered and arrangements for renewal

Year 1999

5.

5.1

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE

Compulsory/Non-compulsory expenditure

DO

5.2

Differentiated/Non-differentiated appropriations

CD

6.

TYPE OF EXPENDITURE OR REVENUE

Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Lithuanian waters.

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7.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

EUR 62,500

The additional financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has
been negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1997 in Community ports in
the Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs.

7.1

Method of calculating total cost of operation (relation between individual and
total costs)

Additional quota obtained (in tonnes)

Weighted average landing prices 1997 (EUR/tonne)

Market value (in EUR)

Negotiated (percentage)
in EUR

Average price EUR/tonne: 12.5

SPRAT

5,000

100

500,000

12.5%
62,500

8.

FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES

The financial contribution granted by the Community is utilised by Lithuania to develop
its fisheries sector in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement. The amount is
administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Lithuania.

9.

ELEMENTS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS

The Community fleet in the Baltic Sea has been severely hit by reductions in catch
possibilities, mainly due to biological factors (low salinity of the water and the M-74
disease) and pollution of the water. Any increase in fishing possibilities above
current critical catch levels will contribute towards preventing the fleet, and
connected industries and services ashore, from collapsing and disappearing. This will
also avoid, to a certain extent, payments under lay-up schemes or social programmes.

Experience has taught us that the financial compensation, similar to that paid in
previous years, has mainly been used by Lithuania for the continued improvement of
scientific research on fisheries and the training of fisheries managers and control
activities. This has entailed improved scientific assessment and enforcement in the
fishery zone of Lithuania and has contributed to a more rational exploitation of the
stocks, to the benefit of all concerned in the Baltic Sea.

The expenses proposed are foreseen in the budgetary planning for the period
concerned.

10.

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE (SECTION III, PART A OF THE BUDGET)

The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs.

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