WRITTEN QUESTION E-3520/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Negotiations on fisheries agreements with Cape Verde, Brazil, Senegal and Kiribati.
Date: 2000-11-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Brazil, Cabo Verde, Kiribati, Senegal, fishing agreement, negotiation of an agreement (EU)

C 151 E/186

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(14 December 2000)

Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (1) provides detailed rules for the co-ordination of social security
schemes of the Member States when Community workers and members of their families move within the
Community. In Article 69 of the Regulation there are provisions which enable an unemployed person,
under certain conditions, to seek work in another Member State and, during that period, to retain the right
to unemployment benefit from the first Member State. During this search for work the benefits are
provided by the institution in the Member State to which the unemployed person has gone to seek work.
The institution in the first Member State is obliged to reimburse the amount of the benefits to the
institution which provided the benefits.

The Honourable Member implies that Member States are not implementing this provision properly.
However, more information is needed in order for the Commission to determine whether Community
law has not been respected properly in any particular case.

(1) Last consolidated version: Council Regulation (EC) No 118/97 of 2 December 1996 amending and updating
Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed
persons and to members of their families moving within the Community and Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying
down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (OJ L 28, 30.1.1997).

(2001/C 151 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3520/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(13 November 2000)

Subject: Negotiations on fisheries agreements with Cape Verde, Brazil, Senegal and Kiribati

The Commission is doing far too little as regards negotiating the conclusion or the extension of fisheries
agreements with third countries. Not only is the fleet which used to fish in Moroccan waters tied up in
port; the expiry of the agreement with Cape Verde means that a further 38 Community vessels will be idle.
The fisheries sector is accusing the Commission of allowing the Community(cid:146)s agreements with African
countries (cid:145)to die(cid:146).

What action has the Commission taken with a view to renewing the agreement with Cape Verde?

information can the Commission provide regarding the dealings which it has had with the

What
Senegalese authorities with a view to renewing the current agreement, which will expire in May 2001?

What stages are being taken to secure an agreement between the European Community and Brazil? What
species will fishing vessels be able to catch, and in which waters?

What information can the Commission provide regarding the dealings it has had with the Kiribati
Government with a view to securing a fisheries agreement?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2000)

The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for her interest in the renewal of the Protocols relating
to the fisheries agreements with Cape Verde and Senegal and in the possibilities of concluding similar
agreements with Brazil and Kiribati.

The Commission is pleased to inform her that, aware of the importance of renewing the protocol with
Cape Verde before it expired,
it made some preparatory contacts and subsequently took part in three
negotiating rounds. The first round was held in Brussels on 19/20 July 2000, the second in Praia
23-25 August 2000 and the last in Brussels on 6/7 November 2000.

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/187

Despite the significant progress made in these three rounds, especially on the issue of fishing opportunities
and financial compensation, it proved impossible to conclude an agreement. The Commission, with the full
approval of the Member States concerned (most notably Spain), could not accept Cape Verde(cid:146)s insistence
that a condition be inserted in the protocol obliging surface long-liners to land their catches in the port of
Mindelo. The Commission will make every effort to conclude this agreement as soon as possible. Cape
Verde has not yet set a new date for negotiations, however.

Turning to Senegal, the Commission and Member States together have begun to prepare for the first round
of negotiations to renew the current protocol, which expires on 30 April 2001. Negotiations should start
early in 2001. When the Commissioner responsible for Fisheries met the Senegalese Fisheries Minister on
19 October 2000, he reiterated the Community(cid:146)s wish to maintain the good relations it enjoys with
Senegal in this field.

In the case of Brazil, the Commission is committed to exploring the possibilities for developing bilateral
cooperation on fisheries, including the issue of Community access to Brazilian waters. The Commission
has invited the Brazilian authorities to Brussels with a view to initiating exploratory talks on this subject
before the end of the year.

The Commission is studying a possible bilateral tuna fisheries agreement with the Republic of Kiribati and
is analysing the implications this would have for the mid-western Pacific.

(2001/C 151 E/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3535/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(13 November 2000)

Subject: Free movement of labour for all industries

In view of the response to my question No E-2823/00 (1) on the free movement of labour by Commis-
sioner Diamantopoulou, which seems to indicate that the free movement of labour is set at the minimum
age of each Member State, will the Commission not confirm that this provision will apply across all
industries in the European Union including the football industry?

(1) OJ C 136 E, 8.5.2001, p. 101.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(19 December 2000)

The Community law provisions on the free movement of workers apply to all Union citizens who have
reached the minimum age fixed by the host Member State for access to its labour market including sports
activities.

(2001/C 151 E/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3542/00

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(8 November 2000)

Subject: Lead

The severely harmful effects of lead on human health are well documented internationally and recognised
by the WHO. Harmful effects on the environment are also internationally documented. Lead is used in
thousands of products. Each single product containing lead does not always (cid:129) in isolation (cid:129) constitute a
serious problem but the impact of the total quantity of lead is a very serious health and environmental
problem.