WRITTEN QUESTION E-3607/01 by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR) and Mikko Pesälä (ELDR) to the Commission. Dumping of Norwegian salmon and rainbow trout on the EU market.
Date: 2002-01-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Norway, dumping, fish, import price, single market, surveillance concerning imports

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/37

(2002/C 229 E/037)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3586/01

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Dioxin problems in Györ (Hungary)

In the Hungarian city of Györ a hazardous waste incinerator has been operating since 1992. Heavy metals
like mercury, cadmium, chrome, copper and lead have been detected outside this incinerator. Furthermore
it is very worrying that reports show that the extremely dangerous toxic substance dioxin has been
detected at levels 13 to even 55 times as high as the permissible Hungarian levels. A residential area is
situated only 500 metres away.

The negotiations between the EU and Hungary about the environmental acquis communautaire have been
successfully concluded. The Hungarian Government has promised to fulfil the EU emission standards for
hazardous waste incinerators.

Will the European Commission ask the Hungarian authorities whether this incinerator in Györ fulfils the
EU environmental standards?

And will the European Commission make sure, if this is not the case, that at the latest by the time that
Hungary enters the European Union this incinerator will comply with EU standards?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(12 February 2002)

It is assumed that reference is made to the hazardous liquid waste incinerator operated by Köszol Ltd. in
Györ (Hungary).

This incinerator has been notified by Hungary in the accession negotiations as not satisfying the
requirements of Council Directives 94/67/E of 16 December 1994 on the incineration of hazardous
waste (1) and 2000/76/E of the Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2000 on the incineration of
waste (2) as regards the emission limit values for particulate matter and as regards emission monitoring
requirements.

In the context of the provisional closure of the accession negotiations on the environment chapter, a
transitional period has been granted to Hungary until 30 June 2005 for bringing this incinerator into
compliance as regards these two particular aspects. The incinerator will therefore comply with the strict
requirements of Directive 2000/76/EC six months earlier than stipulated in the Directive, because ‘existing
incinerators’ have to comply with the requirements of this Directive as from 28 December 2005. Already
by the time of accession, the incinerator has to comply with all other requirements of Directive 94/67/EC.

(1) OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
(2) OJ L 332, 28.12.2000.

(2002/C 229 E/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3607/01

by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR) and Mikko Pesälä (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Dumping of Norwegian salmon and rainbow trout on the EU market

This year, the price of salmonoids on the world market has fallen below production costs. The reason is
that farming of salmon and rainbow trout has increased too rapidly and in too uncontrolled a fashion in
Norway and Chile while at the same time demand has declined because of the reduction in tourism.
Finnish fish-farmers face an intolerable situation because of cheap imports of Norwegian salmon and
rainbow trout.

C 229 E/38

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

The EU has imposed a minimum price of € 3,25 per kg for imports of Norwegian salmon. However,
recent import statistics show the price to have fallen below this level throughout the EU, at least in
September and October, when salmon was imported into the EU at prices of € 3,15 per kg (September
2001) and € 3,11 per kg (October 2001). Throughout the year, salmon has been imported into Finland for
less than the EU’s minimum price. By October, for example, the import price had already fallen to € 3,02
per kg.

Another serious problem which has arisen this year is that rainbow trout has been imported in
conjunction with rainbow trout, making it possible to subsidise the price of salmon with the aid of cheap
rainbow trout, which is not subject to EU price limits. In the autumn, the import price of Norwegian
rainbow trout was less than its production costs. Rainbow trout has been imported into Finland for as little
as 8 marks per kg. It is strongly suspected in the industry that the Norwegians are selling the fish in
combination, although it has not been possible to obtain clear evidence of this.

The dumping of Norwegian fish has compelled Finnish fish-farmers to cut their prices too. The producer
price has already fallen significantly below production costs, to around 10 marks per kg, and there is no
prospect of any improvement. The situation constitutes a serious threat to the survival of fish-farmers in
our country. The economics of fish-farming do not permit sales below production costs, as the industry
has not yet recovered from the impact of the last episode of dumping by Norway, in the late 1990s.

What has the Commission done, or will it do, to hold Norway to account for violating import agreements
and to enable fish-farming to survive within the Union?

(2002/C 229 E/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0105/02

by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 January 2002)

Subject: EU-Norway salmon agreement

Following recent reports that Norwegian salmon exporters have been using duplicate invoices to
circumvent
the minimum price of salmon stipulated under the EU-Norway salmon agreement, and
concerns that some EU importers have cooperated in the deceit, can the Commission provide assurances
that proper monitoring provisions are in place to ensure that the agreement’s provisions are adhered to?
Can the Commission further guarantee that, if necessary, further safeguards are put in place to prevent the
dumping of subsidised salmon on the EU market by Norwegian salmon exporters?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3607/01 and P-0105/02
given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2002)

The Commission is aware that there are indications of downward price pressure in the Community market
for Atlantic salmon. This pressure has occurred despite the existence of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy
measures on imports of Norwegian Atlantic salmon. These measures currently take the form of price
undertakings for the vast majority of the Norwegian exports, the remaining Norwegian exports being
subject to duties. The companies from whom price undertakings have been accepted are obliged to submit
to the Commission regular quarterly reports of all their sales transactions to the Community. These reports
are then carefully verified by the Commission and the companies are also subjected to routine on spot
investigations.

The Commission has received a variety of data indicating that there are significant disturbances on the
market, apparently resulting from different causes. Amongst this data is information provided by the
Danish authorities indicating possible fraud giving rise to violations of the undertakings.