WRITTEN QUESTION E-2196/00 by Carmen Fraga Estévez (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Proposed allocation of fishing opportunities to the Community fleet in the waters of the Svalbard archipelago.
Date: 2000-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, Iceland, common fisheries policy, crustacean, fishery management, ship's flag

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/159

(2001/C 89 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2196/00

by Carmen Fraga EstØvez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Proposed allocation of fishing opportunities to the Community fleet in the waters of the Svalbard

archipelago

In the Commission proposal concerning the management of shrimp fishing in the waters of the Svalbard
archipelago the reference period for the allocation of fishing opportunities has been changed from 1990-
1995 to 1995-1999. This means that Community countries which have been continuously and actively
involved in fishing in those waters will have to cede some of their fishing opportunities to other countries
which, in the case of Germany, sent fishing vessels to the waters concerned only in the final year, i.e. 1999.

It should be borne in mind that 1999 was a wholly exceptional year in which the Commission asked the
Community fleet to withdraw from the fishing grounds in order to avoid provoking a conflict with
Norway. The conflict was caused by the sudden arrival of German vessels, which actually belong to
Icelandic companies. Although part of the Community fleet complied with the Commission(cid:146)s request,
Germany took advantage of the situation to send more vessels (as many as nine). The outcome of this is
that the results for 1999 (which, it was decided, would be included in the calculations) are much more
favourable to Germany than to the other countries, whose vessels had been operating in the area
concerned for much longer.

In view of this anomaly, would the Commission explain how it is possible that, in its proposed allocation
of fishing days, it has decided to reward Germany (which was precisely the Member State which provoked
the 1999 conflict) by granting it fishing opportunities which will have to be taken away from the fleets
in compliance with the Commission recommendation, withdrew from fishing activities and
which,
consequently suffered financial loss?

What has prompted the Commission to withdraw fishing opportunities from Community fleets in order to
benefit a third country (in this case Iceland, the owner of vessels flying the German flag)?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

To date, the Commission has not presented a proposal on this issue.

However, the Honourable Member should note that, at a meeting on 30 June 2000 between officials of
Member States and the Commission, a non-legislative fishing plan was agreed between the Member States
involved for possibilities for the Community fleet to fish for shrimps in Svalbard waters. The agreement
recognises that Community vessels will spend no more than 519 days in this area and that, with some
minor possible exceptions, no more than four Community vessels will be simultaneously present in the
area. All the Member States involved agreed to this plan.

In the light of this agreement the Commission did not pursue its formal proposal on this issue.

(2001/C 89 E/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2199/00

by FrØdØrique Ries (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin

When the report by Mrs Buitenweg (A5-0136/2000) on equal treatment between persons irrespective of
racial or ethnic origin was discussed by the Committee on Citizens(cid:146) Freedoms and Rights, my colleague