WRITTEN QUESTION P-0105/02 by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. EU-Norway salmon agreement.
Date: 2002-01-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Norway, dumping, fish, import price, single market, surveillance concerning imports

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.

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/39

Consequently, the Commission has recently taken a number of initiatives regarding imports of farmed
Atlantic salmon originating in Norway:

(i)

(ii)

stepping up the monitoring of the existing undertakings with a view to identifying possible violations
in relation with the recent events in the market. To this end several verification missions are taking
place in Norway from December 2001 to February 2002; should violations of undertakings be found
for individual companies, their undertakings may be withdrawn and be replaced by duties. The
Commission is also in close contact with the Danish customs authorities in the context of monitoring
the undertakings;

taking steps for opening an interim review of the existing anti-dumping and countervailing measures
on imports of farmed atlantic salmon originating in Norway. This review will examine both the level
of protection and the form of the measures, including undertakings. Member States have already been
consulted on this initiative, which was preceded by a number of consultations with the Norwegian
authorities in the framework of the Salmon Agreement signed in 1997 between the Commission and
the Norwegian Government.

for rainbow trout,

As regards the market
the Commission has not, as yet, received any evidence
concerning the compensation described in the question. No complaint from Community producers of
rainbow trout has been received so far concerning low priced, possibly dumped, imports of rainbow trout
of Norwegian origin. However, the Commission will seek to establish whether export prices are affected by
compensatory agreements both in monitoring whether price undertakings have been respected and in
reviewing the level of dumping in the context of the proposed interim review.

(2002/C 229 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3612/01

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Trafficking and exploitation of children in Albania

(8 January 2002)

According to figures provided by the Albanian Ministry for Public Order, between 1992 and 2000, 4000
children fell victim to organised crime in Albania. These child victims were taken illegally, mainly to
countries in the West, to be abused by paedophiles, used as beggars and, in some cases, for the sale of
organs.

Will the Commission take concerted action, with the maximum possible involvement of Europol and in
close collaboration with the Albanian, Italian and Greek authorities, to root out the gangs involved in the
trafficking and exploitation of children?

Does it know what stage has been reached with the framework decision on combating the sexual
exploitation of children and child pornography adopted by Parliament on 12 June 2001 (1)?

(1) Text adopted on 12.6.2001.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 2002)

Trafficking of human beings is an issue of concern in Albania. The Commission, together with Member
States and other relevant international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), has
been helping the Albanian authorities to address this issue. Despite these efforts and a number of
important recent initiatives,
i.e. the establishment of an anti-trafficking centre in Vlora (supported by
Germany, Greece and Italy) and the adoption by the Albanian Government of an anti-trafficking strategy,
much remains to be done in Albania to curb trafficking activities.