WRITTEN QUESTION E-0484/01 by Niels Busk (ELDR) and Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission. State aid to support the fishing industry.
Date: 2001-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: FIFG, State aid, co-financing, common fisheries policy, competition law, competition policy, fishing industry

C 235 E/214

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Neither the Data Protection Directive (2) nor European fundamental rights have done anything to alter this
state of affairs or the legal situation. The Data Protection Directive does not apply to the processing of
personal data of natural persons. In addition, the Charter protects only natural persons and not legal
entities.

Consequently, the Commission takes the view that there is no conflict between the Directives on the
publication of company accounts and European fundamental rights, particularly the fundamental right to
data protection, and that there is therefore no need to revise the Directives on the publication of company
accounts.

(1)

First Council Directive 68/151/EEC of 9 March 1968 on co-ordination of safeguards which, for the protection of
the interests of members and others, are required by Member States of companies within the meaning of the second
paragraph of Article 58 of
the
Community, Fourth Council Directive 78/660/EEC of 25 July 1978 based on Article 54(3)(g) of the Treaty on the
annual accounts of certain types of companies, and Seventh Council Directive 83/349/EEC of 13 June 1983 based
on the Article 54(3)(g) of the Treaty on consolidated accounts.

the Treaty, with a view to making such safeguards equivalent

throughout

(2) Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of
individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 281,
23.11.1995).

(2001/C 235 E/250)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0484/01

by Niels Busk (ELDR) and Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: State aid to support the fishing industry

Following the Commission(cid:146)s recent decision to consult a formal investigation into state aid schemes in
France and Spain, which are providing support to the fishing industry following increases in fuel prices,
can the Commission indicate what forms of state aid to the fishing industry would be compatible with the
competition rules of the single market?

Has the Commission been notified of state aid schemes in other Member States aimed at structural
assistance in the fisheries sector?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2001)

State aid schemes for the fisheries sector are examined in the light of the Guidelines for the examination of
State aid to fisheries and aquaculture, whatever the grounds on which those schemes are justified. When
the fuel crisis arose last year, the Guidelines in force were those adopted by the Commission in 1997 (1)
and the Guidelines applying at the present time were adopted on 29 November 2000 (2).

These new Guidelines were drawn up in order, among other things, to take into account the new rules and
arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector, adopted by the Council on
17 December 1999, Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 (3). As provided for by Article 19(1) of that
Regulation, Member States have to notify the Commission of the aid schemes entering within the
framework of this structural assistance and therefore co-financed by the Financial Instrument for Fisheries
Guidance (FIFG).

Most of the Member States have, at the present time, begun to notify such co-financed aid schemes. Some
of them have already been adopted by the Commission.

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/215

For more details on the forms of State aid compatible with the common market, the attention of the
Honourable Member is drawn to the Guidelines referred to above. Structural assistance available under
FIFG to address the problems highlighted by the rise in fuel prices includes,
for example, aid for
decommissioning fishing vessels, aid for temporary cessation of fishing or pilot projects for the reduction
of fuel consumption in fishing operations.

As indicated in section 1.2. of the Guidelines, State aid (cid:145)which is granted without imposing any obligation
on the part of recipients and which is intended to improve the situation of undertakings and increase their
business liquidity (cid:133) is, as operating aid, incompatible with the common market(cid:146).

(1) OJ C 100, 27.3.1997.
(2) OJ C 19, 20.1.2001.
(3) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2001/C 235 E/251)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0489/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Sport funding

Does the European Ryder Cup team receive funding from the European Community?

If so,

(cid:129) how much,

(cid:129) from which item, and

(cid:129) what conditions are attached with regard to publicising the European Communities?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(11 April 2001)

In the past, the European Ryder Cup team has received Community funding as part of communication
measures. However, in 1998 the Commission decided to end specific funding for sport, and in particular
for the Eurathlon programme, in application of principles established by the Court of Justice (1).

Since then, the European Ryder Cup team has received no more Community funding.

(1) Case C-106/96. Judgment of the CJEC of 12 May 1998.

(2001/C 235 E/252)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0495/01

by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Turkey

Is the Commission prepared to ask the Turkish Government to explain the three-year prison sentence
imposed on Yousef Akbulut, a priest from Diyarbakir, who told journalists that members of the Syrian
Orthodox Church suffered genocide around 1915?