WRITTEN QUESTION E-2299/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Trade relations in the fisheries sector between the EU and the applicant countries.
Date: 2000-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accession to the European Union, aid system, balance sheet, fishery product, food safety, trade relations

C 113 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

(2001/C 113 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2297/00

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Council

(11 July 2000)

Subject: The electoral process in Zimbabwe

The Forum for the Defence of Human Rights in Zimbabwe, consisting of nine NGOs, has reported that the
government is funding bands of young people and teaching them torture techniques in order to use them
for coercion and torture against supporters of the parties opposing President Robert Mugabe.

These allegations constitute evidence of not only the human rights abuses committed by Mugabe and his
party, but also the intimidation and lack of freedom characterising the electoral process in Zimbabwe.
Does the Council not consider that it should condemn Robert Mugabe for the violations of human rights
and the lack of guarantees during the electoral process, which in themselves invalidate the election results?

Reply

(30 November 2000)

At its meeting on 10 July 2000, the Council reviewed the situation in Zimbabwe on the basis of the report
of the European observation mission. It noted that, while the election campaign was marked by violence,
large-scale intimidation and procedural irregularities, voting itself was generally calm on 24/25 June. The
led by representatives of the European Union, contributed
heavy presence of international observers,
greatly to that outcome. The Council considers that the Government of Zimbabwe should prevent a
repetition of the acts of violence witnessed by the European mission prior to the elections, investigate such
incidents and take every possible legal step against those responsible for political violence, human rights
abuses and fraudulent practices prior to the elections.

Concerned at the human rights situation in the country, the Union strongly urged the Zimbabwean
authorities to work with the opposition and civil society to establish a constructive dialogue. The Council
pointed to the vital need to restore respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law in
Zimbabwe. The Union declared its readiness to work with all Zimbabweans who accept those principles.

(2001/C 113 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2299/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Subject: Trade relations in the fisheries sector between the EU and the applicant countries

There were interesting references in the press to the speech given by Commissioner Fischler in Warsaw on
8 June 2000, in particular concerning the standstill in the accession negotiations with Poland as regards
the liberalisation of agricultural trade. It would seem that the main obstacle is import duties on certain
articles and the fact that the Polish agri-foodstuffs industries are finding it difficult to comply with
European requirements in the area of food safety.

In view of the fact that Mr Fischler is the Commissioner not only for Agriculture but also for Fisheries and
various applicant countries have great fishing potential, can the Commission say:

(cid:129) what the trade balance in fishery products between the applicant countries and the EU is;

(cid:129) how it intends to ensure that the fishery products which the EU imports from the applicant countries

meet the criteria of hygiene, health and phytosanitary standards;

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/83

(cid:129) what it considers to be the main problems for negotiations with these countries in the fishery sector;

(cid:129) whether in the applicant countries there are direct aids to fishing businesses in the industry or

fishermen which conflict with Community legislation?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2000)

The trade balance for fisheries products with the 12 candidate countries with which accession negotiations
are open represents an overall deficit for the Community of € 86 million in 1999.

Trade Balance for Fisheries Products

(€ million)

Country

Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Slovenia
Bulgaria
Hungary
Romania
Malta
Cyprus

Balance

(cid:141) 24,759
(cid:141) 6,525
(cid:141) 1,247
(cid:141) 110,393
6,746
7,185
14,919
0,616
10,795
4,384
4,475
7,655

Total

(cid:129) 86,149

The details for each of these candidate countries are transmitted directly to the Honourable Member and to
Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

The current status of these candidate countries in relation to Commission Decision 97/296/EC of 22 April
1997 drawing up the list of third countries from which the import of fishery products is authorized for
human consumption (1), is given in the table below.

Current Status of Candidate Countries
re Commission Decision 97/296/EC (1) (cid:129)
imports of fisheries products for human consumption

Country

Current status

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Poland

Czech Republic

Slovakia

Slovenia

Bulgaria

Hungary

Romania

Malta

Cyprus

Fully harmonised

Fully harmonised

Fully harmonised

Pre-listed, about to move to Part I of Annex

Pre-listed

Not listed

Pre-listed

Not listed (removed from Part II in December 1999)

Pre-listed (live fish only)

Pre-listed

Pre-listed

Pre-listed

(1) Annex part I = Fully harmonised; Annex part II = pre-listed.

C 113 E/84

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

Three of the accession countries are listed in part I of the Annex of the above Decision (the so-called (cid:145)fully
harmonised(cid:146) list) and are covered by a specific decision under 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 (2). Poland is expected to join Part I soon on the basis of a favourable mission by the Commission
and guarantees received from the Polish authorities.

All the other candidate countries except two are listed in Part II of the Annex (the so-called (cid:145)pre-listed(cid:146)
countries) meeting the terms of Article 2(2) of Council Decision 95/408/EC of 22 June 1995 on the
conditions for drawing up, for an interim period, provisional lists of third country establishments from
which Member States are authorized to import certain products of animal origin, fishery products or live
bivalve molluscs (3). The validity of the latter Decision is being extended from the end of this year to
31 December 2003. Bulgaria and Slovakia are not on the Community list and imports of fishery products
from those countries are not permitted at present.

None of
these candidate countries are currently listed among the 14 countries in the Annex to
Commission Decision 97/20/EC of 17 December 1996 establishing the list of third countries fulfilling
the equivalence conditions for the production and placing on the market of bivalve molluscs, echinoderms,
tunicates and marine gastropods (4).

Considering that candidate countries generally accept the Community fisheries acquis, the Commission
considers that the central issue in the enlargement negotiations on fisheries is the establishment by the
applicant countries of adequate administrative structures to implement the common fisheries policy. Pre-
in
accession instruments are available to contribute to institution-building in the applicant countries,
particular assistance through the PHARE programme. Funding with respect to the fisheries sector can be
considered, even though the limited resources imply focusing on priorities.

In the light of the limited budgetary resources dedicated to fisheries in candidate countries, their existing
national aid schemes only represent a very small fraction of the public aid available to the fisheries sector
in existing Member States. The national aid schemes must necessarily be in conformity with Community
state aid rules upon accession.

(1) OJ L 122, 14.5.1997.
(2) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991.
(3) OJ L 243, 11.10.1995.
(4) OJ L 6, 10.1.1997.

(2001/C 113 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2305/00

by Carmen Cerdeira Morterero (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: The Leader+ programme and Ceuta

(11 July 2000)

Can the Commission estimate the amount of funding to be assigned to the Spanish region of Ceuta under
the Leader+ programme in the next programming period?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2000)

The Spanish Government has not yet submitted any proposals to the Commission for the Leader+
Initiative in Spain.

The Commission cannot yet tell the Honourable Member whether the Spanish authorities will present a
Leader+ programme for the region of Ceuta.