WRITTEN QUESTION E-3283/01 by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Spanish fishing vessels prevented from unloading in the port of La Rochelle (France).
Date: 2001-11-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: France, Spain, code of conduct, fisheries policy, fishing vessel, infringement of EU law, quantity of fish landed, ship's flag

C 134 E/214

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2002)

It is the right of importing countries to set their own level of phytosanitary protection, within the
constraints laid down by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS). It is the responsability of the individual Member State to give the
phytosanitary guarantees requested by the third country. The Commission is involved where it appears that
international rules are not being adhered to or the provisions of the SPS Agreement or other relevant
agreements such as the International Plant Protection Convention have been breached. At present, the
Commission is seeking further information necessary to assess the case.

(2002/C 134 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3283/01

by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(27 November 2001)

Subject: Spanish fishing vessels prevented from unloading in the port of La Rochelle (France)

At the end of October, fishermen from Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country complained that the
attitude adopted by the French authorities, had enabled French fishermen to prevent 37 fishing vessels
from the above-mentioned Spanish regions from unloading their catch of anchovy in the port of La
Rochelle.

What action is the Commission intending to take in order to ensure that such a thing does not happen
again and to guarantee the free movement of goods, as provided for in the Treaties?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written E-3148/01 by Mr Valdivielso
de Cué (1).

(1) OJ C 115 E, 16.5.2002, p. 233.

(2002/C 134 E/227)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3287/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 November 2001)

Subject: Refunds for use of potato and cereal starches and aid for potato starch

In accordance with the Court of Auditors’ annual report, € 900 million have been allocated from the
Community budget to refunds for use of potato and cereal starches and to aid for potato starch. This is
actually,
in a very indirect manner, the only Community instrument relating to potatoes, despite the
importance of such crops in overall agricultural production. Since 1994, when the Council rejected the
Commission’s proposal, the establishment of a common organisation of the market in potatoes has been
placed on the back burner.

Against this background, will the Commission specify:

? the annual amount of resources allocated from the Community budget to refunds and aid for potato

starch since 1994 and the relevant breakdown by Member State?

? the total number of beneficiaries by Member State and the number of companies which are

beneficiaries (stating the names of the companies and the amount of aid allocated to each)?