WRITTEN QUESTION P-3102/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. EC-Greenland fisheries agreement.
Date: 2000-09-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greenland, catch quota, co-financing, common fisheries policy, evaluation of resources, financial compensation of an agreement, fishery resources, fishing agreement

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/183

The funds thus released may be reassigned by the Member State to the FIFG subject to compliance with the
rules provided for in Article 53(2) of that Regulation.

To sum up, a Member State making use of the Community(cid:146)s structural financial instruments must respect
and ensure respect for the rules indicated above that ensure efficient and correct use of the funds made
available.

The information given by the Honourable Member does not allow any conclusion to be drawn as to
whether the actual circumstances are likely to entail
irregularity with regard to the abovementioned
Regulations that will require cancellation or reduction of the Community aid.

(1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2001/C 136 E/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3102/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: EC-Greenland fisheries agreement

On 14 September 2000 the Commission concluded the negotiations on a new fisheries agreement with
Greenland, which provides for an annual EU contribution of € 42,82 million for the period 2000-2006.
The agreement, which has not yet been adopted by the Council, makes no provision for separating the two
categories of funding, one for fishing rights and one for development aid, even though the Commission
itself gave an undertaking that the agreement would differentiate between the two, with € 28 million of the
total corresponding to fishing rights and the remainder going to development aid, according to the
Commission(cid:146)s unilateral declaration.

One controversial aspect of the current agreement with Greenland is the low level of utilisation of the
quotas allocated to the EU and the fact that a number of fleets from countries which have shown an
interest in exploiting these resources are prevented from doing so by the distribution of quotas, which
It would seem fairer if these fishing
favours certain countries that do not in fact use their quota.
possibilities (cid:129) acquired with Community money (cid:129) could be used by interested fleets which are presently
barred from access to the fishing grounds concerned.

Debate would also focus on the lack of exploratory fishing to search for new resources and new fishing
possibilities, and the failure to require shipowners benefiting from the agreement to contribute to its cost,
as is the case with most of the other agreements signed by the Community.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s assessment of the implementation, development and utilisation of the third
protocol, which will expire on 31 December?

Has the Commission inserted any provisions in the new text establishing the principle of co-financing in
the form of a fee to be paid by Community shipowners benefiting from the agreement? If not, how does
the Commission justify this discriminatory treatment?

Does the text of the new agreement make provision for more exploratory fishing? With a view to the
greatest possible use of fishing opportunities, has the Commission asked for a mechanism to be included
for the distribution of unused fishing possibilities?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 October 2000)

A Commission staff working document giving a technical evaluation of
fisheries agreement is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

the Community-Greenland

C 136 E/184

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

The Fourth Protocol makes reference to experimental fisheries (article 9) with an undertaking by both
parties to promote them and with specific mention of deep sea species, snow crab and squid.

The internal distribution amongst Member States of fishing possibilities under a fisheries agreement is not
the subject of negotiations with the third country, but an internal matter to be resolved within the
Community.

On the issue of distribution of fishing possibilities, the Commission and the Council made the following
declaration in the context of
the debate on the Greenland Fourth Protocol negotiating directives:
fishing
(cid:145)The Council and the Commission will consider possible improvements of the utilisation of
possibilities, without prejudice to the principle of relative stability. With due regard to the requirements
of sustainable fisheries and within the framework of the principle of relative stability, they invite the
Member States concerned to envisage the possibility of transfer of non- or under-utilised quotas to other
Member States.(cid:146)

(2001/C 136 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3103/00

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: Developing countries and farm animal welfare

farm animals was one of

In its Answer of 16 June 2000 to Written Question P-1325/00 (1), the Commission acknowledged that the
welfare of
the factors that should be taken into account when framing
Community policy on agriculture in developing countries. Industrial livestock production not only results
in poor welfare for animals, but it is also detrimental to poverty reduction, as it undermines smallholder
farmers and can cause massive damage to the environment.

Does the Commission intend to devise a written policy on farm animal welfare:

(a)

to guide the Community when giving aid or advice to developing countries; and

(b)

to help the Community to use its influence with bodies such as the Food & Agriculture Organisation
and the World Bank in order to persuade them to take the welfare of farm animals into account when
giving advice and aid to developing countries?

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 45.

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2000)

As indicated in the Commission(cid:146)s answer of 16 June 2000 to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question
P-1325/00 (1), the Community(cid:146)s development aid does not support financially the creation or promotion of
industrial animal farming in developing countries, since the Community aims first at helping poor small
scale farmers.

the livestock, environment and development

the Food and
Being equally part of
agriculture organisation (FAO) and the World Bank are considering animal welfare issues jointly with the
Community. It is expected that the study to be carried out in Asia and Latin America (1), as well as other
works carried out by various organisations on the same subject, will give strategic guidance to both
national and international decision-makers.

initiative,

(LEAD)

Possible next steps will then be envisaged in the context of LEAD as co-ordination body.

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 45.