WRITTEN QUESTION E-3193/00 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Illegal fishing in West African waters.
Date: 2000-10-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: West Africa, common fisheries policy, fishing regulations

C 151 E/90

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

(2001/C 151 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3191/00

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 October 2000)

Subject: Pollution of Lake Vegoritis in Greece

On 13 September 2000, the Commission sent a second reasoned opinion to the Greek Government
concerning hazardous substances in Lake Vegoritis and failure to implement its depollution programmes.
The reasoned opinion states that the Greek Government(cid:146)s failure to act is contrary to the basic Community
Directive on water quality.

1.

Does the Commission intend to set the Greek Government a deadline for cleaning up the lake?

Are there any other similar cases pending against Greece pursuant to the same Community Directive,

2.
for which the Commission is preparing to issue a reasoned opinion?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 2000)

In its judgment of 11 June 1998, the Court of Justice found in the joined cases C-232/95 and C-233/95
(Commission v. Greece) that: (cid:145)by failing to establish programmes including quality objectives and setting
deadlines for their implementation in order to reduce the pollution of Lake Vegorr(cid:237)tis and the River Soulos
and of the Gulf of Pagasa(cid:237) by the dangerous substances within List II of Council Directive 76/464/EEC of
4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment
of the Community, (cid:133) the Hellenic Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under (cid:133) Directive 76/464,
in particular Article 7 thereof(cid:146).

On 7 September 2000 the Commission, considering that the steps taken by the Greek authorities to
comply with the above judgment were fragmentary and certainly did not constitute programmes including
quality objectives, delivered a reasoned opinion on the basis of Article 228 (formerly Article 171) of the
EC Treaty.

In connection with the same Directive, in case C-384/97 (Commission v. Greece) the Court found in a
judgment of 25 May 2000 that by failing to establish programmes including quality objectives in order to
reduce water pollution caused by the 99 dangerous substances covered by List II in the annex to Council
Directive 76/464/EEC (1), Greece has failed to fulfil its obligations under that Directive. The Commission
has asked the Greek authorities to communicate to it the measures necessary for them to comply with the
judgment.

(1) OJ L 129, 18.5.1976.

(2001/C 151 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3193/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 October 2000)

Subject: Illegal fishing in West African waters

In the light of reports of widescale illegal fishing by European vessels in West African waters, which is
resulting in hundreds of deaths and threatening to destroy the livelihoods of local fishermen, what action
does the Commission intend to take?

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/91

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 November 2000)

The Commission would like to point out that the Community(cid:146)s fisheries agreements with West African
countries were negotiated taking into account Article 62 of the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These agreements, which cover fishing possibilities utilised not at all or only
to a limited extent by local fishermen, generally contain provisions governing fishing zones, gear, landings,
crew assignment, and by-catches. All the provisions are designed to avoid any clash between Community
fishing vessels and local fleets. When negotiating with a non-Community country, the Commission also
includes funding for initiatives targeted at developing local and small-scale fisheries.

inspections in waters which are under the jurisdiction or sovereignty of

Such targeted initiatives are meant to enable the coastal states in question to improve their monitoring and
surveillance methods in order to combat illegal fishing. Policing the waters placed under their sovereignty
or jurisdiction is, of course, a matter for them. Although the Community is not legally empowered to carry
out
the
Commission cooperates as closely as possible with the coastal states in question to monitor fishing
activities covered by our fisheries agreements. Community legislation also requires each Member State to
check that fishing vessels flying its flag comply both with the fisheries agreements (including as regards
submitting catch data and monitoring in Community ports) and with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/
93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (1)
(including the satellite-based vessel monitoring system (VMS)).

third countries,

The Community is of course actively involved in the Food and Agriculture Organisation(cid:146)s current work on
drawing up (cid:145)an international plan of action to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing(cid:146). The plan contains a chapter on the specific needs of developing countries.

(1) OJ L 261, 20.10.1993.

(2001/C 151 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3195/00

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 October 2000)

Subject: Research into alternative uses of tobacco

Can the Commission state whether the European Union is undertaking research into alternative uses for
tobacco? Is it aware that research in India has led to the manufacture of Solanesol, a high value alcohol
from tobacco and also resulted in the production of nicotine sulphate, which may turn out to be an
environmentally friendly insecticide?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 2000)

The Community tobacco fund, under its new application Regulation (CE) No 1648/2000 of 25 July 2000
laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 with regard to the
Community tobacco fund and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2427/93 (1) can finance research projects,
including the dissemination of the results to national authorities and the sectors concerned, regarding the
creation and development of alternative uses for raw tobacco in accordance with Article 1(1)(b) of the
above-mentioned regulation (e.g. more environmentally-friendly cultivation methods). No project has been
funded yet on this subject which has been introduced with the new implementation regulation.