WRITTEN QUESTION P-3325/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. United States ban on Community exports of yellowfin tuna and by-products.
Date: 2000-10-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, United States, common fisheries policy, fishing statistics, international sanctions, marine mammal

C 151 E/96

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

(2001/C 151 E/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3325/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(18 October 2000)

Subject: United States ban on Community exports of yellowfin tuna and by-products

The Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme, to which the Community is a
signatory, requires the parties to the agreement to draw up a regulation on the statistical tracking of tuna.
The failure by the Commission to adopt such a regulation has prompted the action taken by the United
States Department of Trade, which has introduced a ban on Community exports of yellowfin tuna and by-
products. This is seriously damaging a number of Community undertakings.

What progress has been made by the Commission in drawing up and adopting this regulation? What are
the reasons for the delay? Is the Commission aware of the damage being done to certain Community
undertakings, which are unable to export their products to the United States?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3205/00 and P-3325/00
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 2000)

The Commission, aware that the lack of legislation to implement the tuna tracking and verification system
(TTVS) could result in an embargo, addressed this question with the United States, on the occasion of the
Community/United States high-level consultations on fisheries (held in Washington in July 2000) with a
view to avoid this type of situation. The American administration, on that occasion, showed the necessary
flexibility to provide more time for the Community to implement
instrument. However,
following a court settlement after the lawsuit presented by an American tuna importing company, the
American government was forced to apply the embargo to all those countries not having yet obtained the
so-called (cid:145)affirmative finding(cid:146).

this legal

Subsequently, the Commission and the government of Spain have agreed that, in order to resolve this
situation, the Commission will prepare a proposal that could be adopted in six months time for a
regulation to implement the TTVS. In the meantime, and in order that Spain can obtain the (cid:145)affirmative
finding(cid:146) necessary to lift the embargo, the Spanish administration will provisionally apply the TTVS
through Spanish legislation.

These initiatives have been already communicated to the American authorities. The Commission believes
that these initiatives will allow the resolution of this problem.

(2001/C 151 E/109)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3206/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: EU-Cape Verde fisheries agreement

(12 October 2000)

The EU-Cape Verde fisheries agreement expired on 6 September 2000; meanwhile, negotiations for a new
protocol have still not resumed. The result is the paralysis of fishing by the Community fleet in the fishing-
grounds covered by the agreement, giving rise to problems for the sector in the face of the uncertainty
generated.

In view of the importance of this agreement for the Community fleet and the situation created, can the
Commission indicate its reasons for not providing for the resumption of the negotiations for a new
protocol?

Can the Commission state on what date these negotiations will begin?