WRITTEN QUESTION E-0123/02 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. The Commission and international fisheries agreements.
Date: 2002-01-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common fisheries policy, fishing agreement, negotiation of an agreement (EU)

C 205 E/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

additional financing from Community funds. Member States may not be in a position to provide additional
public funds as well. As far as existing Community support is concerned, in order to help the beef sector,
it should be pointed out that the Community currently contributes € 15 towards the costs of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) testing kits.

The Commission has contacted all Member States to get cost estimates concerning recent and forthcoming
legislation related to the fight against BSE, and to get information about the level of public support. This
information is currently being evaluated,
in order to identify more clearly where steps towards more
harmonization are needed.

(2002/C 205 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0123/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(29 January 2002)

Subject: The Commission and international fisheries agreements

The Community fisheries sector is gradually losing its fishing opportunities in third country waters,
something which shipowners and fishermen attribute to the Commission’s weak stance and failure to
devote sufficient attention to this matter, as well as the breakdown of various negotiations in regional
fisheries organisations.

Furthermore, at the ‘Valentin Paz-Andrade’ Fisheries Forum on 5 December 2001, an official from the
Directorate-General
fisheries
agreements is outmoded.

the idea some shipowners have of commercial

for Fisheries said that

What are the Commission’s views on international fisheries agreements? Does it not agree with the
conclusions of the Fisheries Council of 30 October 1997 in Luxembourg, which enshrined the principle
that fisheries agreements with third countries should be commercial agreements? Will the Commission
ease the fears of
this sector by striving to renew existing agreements and seek out new fishing
opportunities for the Community fleet?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2002)

The Commission’s analysis of Community external relations in the fisheries sector is set out in its
Green Paper on the future of the common fisheries policy (1). Briefly, as the recent negotiations seem to
confirm,
the Commission feels that : after 25 years : the practice of buying fishing rights for
Community vessels to fish in third-country waters has run its course.

Wishing nevertheless to defend Community interests, the Commission proposes that the Community
should instead participate in a political, institutional, legal, economic and social process through which it
can both tangibly contribute towards establishing sustainable fishing in the waters of certain coastal states
and develop, in partnership with those countries’ authorities, a medium- or long-term strategy based on
shared and mutual benefit. Without forgetting the economic dimension of these future relations, the role
and tasks of each interested party should be focused on forming partnerships at the appropriate level
(national and/or regional) and establishing the instruments and conditions within which the Community
and its partners intend to continue their medium- and long-term relations in the fisheries sector with a
view to sustainability.

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/75

The October 1997 Council conclusions still constitute the reference framework for the Community’s
external activities in the fisheries sector. If a change in policy were accepted, however, the Commission
considers that those conclusions would have to be revised. This is all the more important because all the
interested parties within the Community and among our partners need to be informed very accurately
about the Community’s political intentions on this issue.

The current discussion does not affect the Commission’s use of its resources to revise existing agreements
which are expiring or to look for new fishing opportunities. But in view of the growing difficulties which
the negotiators have recently encountered it seems increasingly advisable to review the Community’s
objectives, practices and activities. The Commission will shortly present a series of initiatives to meet the
new challenges of distant-water fishing.

(1) COM(2001) 135 final.

(2002/C 205 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0130/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 February 2002)

Subject: Possible suspension of drug dependency programmes

The Greek press reports that drug dependency programmes run by Ithaki, an EU-funded therapeutic
community in northern Greece, may be suspended because, it appears, the staff’s contracts have expired
and, owing to an oversight while drugs legislation was being amended, no new recruitment can take place.

Is the Commission aware of this matter? Is there a possibility that the programmes will be suspended?
What action will the Commission take to prevent that eventuality? What funds has the EU provided,
directly and indirectly, and to which therapeutic communities for drug addicts in Greece?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 2002)

The Commission has not been informed on this matter. Treatment, including the therapeutic communities,
falls within the competence of Member States and is not covered by the Community Action Program on
Drugs and Drug Dependencies. The programme covers mainly prevention programmes, but it has covered
treatment, when there has been a preventive element involved.

Many Community programmes not dealing explicitly on drugs are also relevant in this field (Equal, Urban,
Integra etc.) and may finance drug related actions. The administration of these funds is handled by the
Member States.

Itaca (Ithaci) is a European Association of Professionals working in the field of drugs. Its main office is in
Italy, but Greece is one of the participating Member States.

Itaca has received grants from the Community Action Programme on Drugs and Drug Dependencies in
recent years. Decisions on subsidies for this year have not yet been taken as not all the procedures are yet
complete.