WRITTEN QUESTION P-1232/01 by Carlos Candal (PSE) to the Commission. Restructuring the Directorate-General for Fisheries.
Date: 2001-04-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, common fisheries policy, institutional reform

C 340 E/200

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

(2001/C 340 E/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1232/01

by Carlos Candal (PSE) to the Commission

(10 April 2001)

Subject: Restructuring the Directorate-General for Fisheries

The author of this question would like the Commission to provide information about plans to restructure
the Directorate-General for Fisheries.

This restructuring is presumably motivated chiefly by the need to make the Commission(cid:146)s services more
efficient by rationalisation and also to preserve the internal balance in the distribution of responsibilities
between senior officials from the various Member States, and notably from those with stronger traditions
in the relevant sectors of activity. Will the Commission say whether all these considerations are being
taken into account in the restructuring of the Directorate-General in question?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 May 2001)

The reorganisation of the Directorate-General for Fisheries has aimed indeed to further improve the
functioning of the Commission. The balance in the distribution of responsibilities between senior officials
reflects their competence in the various fields of the Common Fisheries Policy.

The interests of all Member States,
including those with stronger traditions in the relevant sectors of
activity, are safeguarded, as in the past, at all times by the Commission acting in accordance with the
Treaties.

(2001/C 340 E/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1233/01

by Ky(cid:246)sti Virrankoski (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Investment aid to farmers(cid:146) joint undertakings

(10 April 2001)

In Finland,
Farmers are entitled to receive investment aid to help them purchase shared machinery.
however, subsidy applications have been turned down from farmers(cid:146)
joint undertakings having legal
personality, such as limited companies, partnerships, cooperatives and associations. On the other hand,
investment aid can be granted to machinery consortia in which each farmer participating in an application
for machinery is required to make his own individual application. This leads to serious difficulties in
obtaining machinery, arranging loans, bookkeeping, machine maintenance and repair, etc. It would be
more flexible and logical for farmers in many respects if they could form their own legal entities of which
they were the sole members and which could apply for machinery, manage it and keep the accounts
relating to it.

In the light of the above:

(cid:129) Is the Finnish authorities(cid:146) interpretation of EU legislation correct?

(cid:129) What measures does the Commission propose to take to ensure that farmers(cid:146) cooperation for the
purchase of machinery can be made more flexible and effective while at the same time reducing
bureaucracy?

(cid:129) What legislative measures does the Commission propose to take to remedy the situation?