WRITTEN QUESTION E-0019/01 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. International fisheries agreements.
Date: 2001-01-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cabo Verde, common fisheries policy, financial compensation of an agreement, fishing agreement, fishing area, negotiation of an agreement (EU)

C 235 E/90

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/096)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0019/01

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

Subject: International fisheries agreements

(17 January 2001)

The different ways in which the Commission manages international fisheries agreements in the North and
South is creating grievances among EU shipowners operating in both these areas. Surprise has been
expressed, for example, at the lenient approach taken by the Commission to the behaviour of countries of
the North, which have refused to provide the identification and information required under the terms of
the financial compensation for matters relating to cooperation and to introduce the payment of fisheries
fees by shipowners.

Also surprising is the keenness with which the Commission is concluding international fisheries agree-
ments in the North, while accepting whatever approach is adopted by the third country concerned, even
though this might undermine Community cohesion in the field of international fisheries agreements. The
Commission has continued to withhold the negotiating mandate with Kiribati for several months, although
there is no justification for its delay in submitting the mandate to the Council.

Will the Commission explain the reasons for its behaviour?

Will it also say why it has suspended the fisheries agreement with Cape Verde and what it has done to
remedy this situation?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2001)

Concerning the general statements by the Honourable Member on the differences between northern and
southern agreements that accompany the questions, the Commission wishes to point out the totally
dissimilar contexts and specificity of these two types of agreements as well as their diverse historical origin.

As regards the negotiation of tuna fisheries agreements in Central West Pacific, in which Kiribati should be
included, the Commission is aware of the interest of the European tuna fishing industry in developing new
fishing possibilities in this part of the world. The Commission has already launched the required internal
procedures for the preparation of a draft negotiating mandate. The Commission(cid:146)s proposal for a negotiating
mandate should be submitted to the Council within the first trimester of 2001.

With regard to Cape Verde, aware of the importance of carrying out the renewal of the Protocol before its
expiry, the Commission, after a series of preliminary contacts, took part in three negotiation rounds, which
took place successively in Brussels on 19 and 20 July 2000, in Praia from 23 to 25 August 2000 and in
Brussels on 6 and 7 November 2000.

Despite significant achievements during the negotiations,
in particular concerning the level of fishing
possibilities and of the corresponding financial contribution, the protocol could not be finalised. The
Commission, on the advice of the interested Member States, was not in a position to accept Cape Verde(cid:146)s
demands to insert an obligation for the surface long liners to unload 100 % of their catches in the port of
Mindelo. It is also to be noted that Cape Verde is not on the list of countries allowed to export fish and
fish products to the Community.

The Commission is making every effort to conclude this protocol as soon as possible. Although Cape
Verde has not been yet in a position to suggest a new date for negotiations (parliamentary elections took
place in Cape Verde on 14 January 2001 and presidential elections are scheduled to take place in February
2001), very recently its Ambassador in Brussels has communicated to the Commission the attachment of
his government to a rapid resumption of the of the negotiating process.