Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 for the 2000 fishing year
Date: 1999-11-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: aquaculture, fishery product, guide price

EN

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 12.11.1999
COM(1999) 581 final

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

fixing the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) of
Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 for the 2000 fishing year

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

The purpose of this regulation is to fix the guide prices for 2000 for the products in Annex
I(A), (D) and (E) to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 on the common organisation of
the market in fishery products. Article 9 of the Regulation provides that a guide price is to be
fixed annually for each of these products on the basis of the average of prices recorded on
representative wholesale markets or in representative ports during the three fishing years
immediately preceding the year for which the price is fixed. Account is also to be taken of the
production and demand prospects and other criteria relating to the stabilisation of market
prices, support for producers’ incomes and consumers’ interests.

Over the period 1997 to 1999 compared to 1996-98, the average prices for whitefish have
been improving significantly, with increases ranging from +2% to +18%, except sole (0%)
and dab (-4%). Whitefish prices have been higher in the first six months of 1999 than they
were in the first half of 1998, except for coalfish, redfish and sole. In view of this favourable
market situation, the Commission is proposing increases in the guide price of between 1% and
2% for most whitefish species with the exception of dab, common flounder and sole for which
the Commission recommends no change.

With regard to pelagic species, the change in average prices over 1997-99 compared to
1996-98 ranged from -7% to +14%: whilst the prices for sardines and Spanish mackerel have
been increasing,
the situation for herring, mackerel, anchovy and albacore tuna has
deteriorated, particularly over the shorter term. The Commission is therefore proposing to
reduce the guide price significantly for these species, except for albacore tuna and Spanish
mackerel (no change is recommended) and for sardines (an increase of 2% is advised).

As regards the other species in Annex I, the Commission is proposing to increase the guide
price for shrimps, whole lobster and Norway prawns and to keep the existing guide price for
edible crabs, lobster tails, cuttlefish and cooked Norway prawns.

In summary, the Commission proposes:

-

-

-

to lower the guide price for herring by 4%, for mackerel by 3%, and for anchovy by
2%;

to maintain in 2000 the guide prices for 1999 for Spanish mackerel, edible crab,
lobster tails, dab, common flounder, albacore tuna (whole and gutted), cuttlefish, sole
and cooked Norway prawns; and

to raise the guide price for spotted dogfish, redfish, haddock, whiting, plaice, megrim,
whole lobster and fresh Norway prawns by 1%, for cod and coalfish by 1.5% and for
sardines, dogfish, ling, hake, Ray’s bream, monkfish (whole and headed) and shrimps
by 2%.

2

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

fixing the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) of
Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 for the 2000 fishing year

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 of 17 December 1992 on the common
organization of the market in fishery and aquaculture products 1, as amended by Regulation
(EEC) No 3318/94 2, and in particular Article 9 (3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 provides that a guide price shall be
fixed for each fishing year for each of the products or groups of products listed in
Annex I (A), (D) and (E) to that Regulation ;

According to the data available at present concerning prices for the products in
question and the criteria laid down in Article 9 (2),of that Regulation, these prices
should be increased, maintained or decrease0 according to the species for the 2000
fishing year,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The guide prices for the fishing year from 1 January to 31 December 2000 for the products listed
in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) to Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 and the commercial categories to
which they relate are fixed in the Annex hereto.

1

2

OJ No L 388, 31.12.1992, p. 1.
OJ No L 350, 31.12.1994, p. 15.

3

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2000.

Article 2

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

Done at Brussels,

For the Council
The President

4

Species

1. Herrings of the species
Clupea harengus
2. Sardines of the species
Sardina pilchardus
3. Picked dogfish
(Squalus acanthias)
4. Catshanks (Scyliorhinus spp.)

5. Redfish (Sebastes spp.)
6. Cod of the species Gadus morhua

7. Coalfish (Pollachius virens)

8. Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)

9. Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)

10. Ling (Molva spp.)
11. Mackerel of the species
Scomber scombrus

12. Mackerel of the species
Scomber japonicus

13. Anchovies (Engraulis spp.)
14. Plaice
(Pleuronectes platessa)

15. Hake of the species
Merluccius merluccius
16. Megrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)
17. Ray's bream (Brama spp.)
18. Monkfish (Lophius spp.)

19. Shrimps of the species
Crangon crangon
20. Edible crab (Cancer pagurus)
21. Norway lobster
(Nephrops norvegicus)

22. Dab
(Limanda limanda)
23. Flounder
(Platichthys flesus)
24. Albacore or longfinned tuna
(Thunnus alalunga)
25. Cuttlefish
(Sepia officinalis and
Rossia macrosoma)
26. Sole
(Solea spp.)
27. Deep-water prawns (Pandalus Borealis)

ANNEX I

Commercial specifications (1)

Freshness

Size

Presentation

Guide price
(EURO/tonne)

category
Extra, A

Extra

Extra, A

Extra, A

A
A
or
A
A
or
A
A
or
A
A
or
A
Extra, A
Extra
or
A
Extra
or
A
Extra
A
or
A

A

Extra, A
Extra, A
Extra, A

Extra, A
A

-
E, A

E, A
Extra, A

Extra, A

Extra, A

Extra, A

Extra, A

A
A

1

3

2

1

2
2

3
2

3
2

3
2

3
1, 2
1

2
1

2
2
2

3

1

1, 2
1
2, 3

2, 3
1

1
1, 2

2
1

1

1
1
1, 2

2, 3

1
1

Whole fish

Whole fish

Whole fish
Gutted fish with head
Whole fish
Gutted fish with head
Whole fish
Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head
Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head
Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head
Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head
Gutted fish with head
Whole fish

Whole fish
Whole fish

Whole fish
Whole fish
Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head

Whole fish, gutted fish with head
Whole fish
Whole, or gutted with head
Without head

Simply boiled in water

Whole
Whole

Tails
Gutted fish with head

Gutted fish with head

Whole fish
Gutted fish with head
Whole

Gutted fish with head

Simply boiled in water
Fresh or chilled

259

542

) 1068
)
) 814
)
1154
)
) 1529
)
)
) 782
)
)
) 1036
)
)
) 902
)
1173
)
) 285
)
)

) 301
1167
from 1.1.2000
until 30.4.2000 :
1052

from 1.5.2000
until
31.12.2000:
1448
3732

2358
1836
2771

5725
2405

1749
5284

4345
932

558

2145
2452
1605

6453

6387
1690

(1)

The freshness categories, sizes and presentation are defined pursuant to Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92

5

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

BUDGET HEADING: B1-261

FISH-A-4

DATE: 26.10.99
APPROPRIATIONS:

TITLE: Three proposals for Council Regulations fixing the guide prices for fishery products (Annex I,
A,D and E, Annex II to Regulation (EEC) NO. 3759/92) and the Community producer price for tuna
(Annex III)

LEGAL BASIS: Articles 9 and 17 of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92

AIMS: Annual fixing of prices in the fisheries sector (2000 fishing year)

12 MONTH
PERIOD

(EUR million)

FINANCIAL
YEAR
2000
(EUR million)
14

FOLLOWING
FINANCIAL
YEAR
(EUR million)

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

CHARGED TO THE EC BUDGET

NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
OTHER

EXPENDITURE
-
(REFUNDS/INTERVENTIONS)
-
-
REVENUE
-
(LEVIES/CUSTOMS DUTIES)
NATIONAL
-

OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

5.0

5.1

5.0.1 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE
5.1.1 ESTIMATED REVENUE
5.2 METHOD OF CALCULATION:
- Community withdrawals :
- Compensatory allowance for tuna
- Autonomous withdrawals and carry-overs
- Community carry-overs
- Private storage aid :

Measures restricted to the 2000 fishing year (16.10.99-
15.10.2000)

Euro 6,0 million
Euro 3,5 million
Euro 2,5 million
Euro 1,5 million
Euro 0,5 million

6.0

6.1

CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED FROM APPROPRIATIONS ENTERED IN THE
RELEVANT CHAPTER OF THE CURRENT BUDGET?
CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED BY TRANSFER BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF
THE CURRENT BUDGET?

6.2 WILL A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET BE NECESSARY?
6.3 WILL APPROPRIATIONS NEED TO BE ENTERED IN FUTURE BUDGETS?
OBSERVATIONS: Since this is a price fixing measure the impact on expenditure is indirect. The expenditure
in question will largely depend on developments in the market situation and on quantities landed.

NO
YES

6