WRITTEN QUESTION P-1317/02 by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission. Fish imports to Poland.
Date: 2002-04-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Poland, United Kingdom, bilateral agreement, fish, import, import policy, originating product, tariff reduction

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/187

like all the other candidate countries, has committed itself to comply with the
In addition, Bulgaria,
Community environmental acquis, even before accession, in relation to every new investment project. This
therefore also ensures that projects, which are financed in Bulgaria through sources other than those of the
Community, will have to comply with the standards set
in the Community environmental acquis.
Therefore, in addition to the directive on the environmental impact assessment, the Habitats and Birds
Directives would also have to be complied with.

Through these instruments, the Commission would do its utmost to make sure that the rich Bulgarian bio-
diversity is protected in conformity with the Community acquis.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(3) Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(4) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of

certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2002/C 277 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1317/02

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 April 2002)

Subject: Fish imports to Poland

The fishing industry in the UK, and in particular in the Shetland Islands, is currently being denied an equal
level of access to the Polish market for their fish products in comparison to their Norwegian counterparts.
Import tariffs on British imports of fish remain in place, while Norway receives favourable access under a
bilateral agreement with Poland.

The Commission has recently, on behalf of the Community, agreed an additional protocol to the EU/
Poland Europe Agreement phasing out import tariffs on fish products. Will the Commission outline the
measures agreed and confirm the date on which they will definitively enter into force?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 June 2002)

The Commission confirms the situation described by the Honourable Member. The Additional Protocol
laying down reciprocal trade concessions for fisheries products between the Communities and the Republic
of Poland has been adopted by the Council. Pending the completion of the Polish internal procedures, the
specific provisions regarding tariff reductions will be implemented through autonomous measures. Poland
will on its side also apply the trade concessions contained in the Protocol through autonomous measures,
without awaiting the conclusion of its lengthy internal procedures leading to the formal entry into force of
the Protocol. It is expected that both parties will set the autonomous measures into force on 1 July 2002
on the condition that the necessary procedures have been completed.

The measures agreed are reciprocal and can be outlined as follows:

@ For all fisheries products, except herring products, both parties will grant each other three step equal
tariff reductions: one third of the most favoured nation (MFN) tariff at the entry into force, an
additional one third reduction one year later, and free trade two years after the entry into force of the
measures.

C 277 E/188

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

@ For herring products, both parties will grant each other three step tariff reductions: 30 % of the MFN
tariff at the entry into force, an additional 30 % reduction one year later, and free trade two years after
the entry into force of the measures.

@ The existing tariff quotas, already granted by the Community to Poland, shall remain valid. Imports
into the Community above the quota quantities shall be subject to the agreed tariff reductions as
outlined above.

(2002/C 277 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1334/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(8 May 2002)

Subject: Golf courses and the diversion of the River Ebro (Spanish National Hydrological Plan)

The environmental organisation Greenpeace has just published a report in which it states and argues that
the water conveyed by the diversion of the River Ebro (included in the National Hydrological Plan) will be
used to maintain the numerous golf courses planned in the arid areas which will receive the water.
Environmentalists have counted as many as 66 new projects for tourism and sports facilities, together with
the relevant hotel and residential complexes in eastern Spain. According to figures supplied by
Greeenpeace there are plans to build 34 golf courses in the province of Murcia, 24 in Alicante, 5 in
Valencia and 3 in Castellón. Furthermore, there are reports of land being reclassified in the area for the
construction of holiday homes and golf courses.

In its reply to this Member’s question on golf courses and water management in the European Union
(E-0811/01 (1)) the Commission said that the measures referred to in Directive 2000/60/EC (2) included an
analysis of the conditions in river basins and the pressures on the waters within the basins, taking into
consideration the use of fertilisers and certain chemical substances (as in the case of golf courses).

Admittedly there are different deadlines for the application of
is
nonetheless true that as regards Community legislation the ‘non-deterioration principle’ (recognised in the
EU Treaty) prevails, as well as the different case-law generated so far, which makes compliance with the
principles laid down in directives compulsory as soon as they are adopted.

the measures mentioned, but

it

In view of the fact that the Commission is still considering a number of public complaints concerning the
contradiction between the Spanish Hydrological Plan and the European Sustainable Development Strategy
(including, in particular, failure to comply with the Community acquis as regards the environment) and
that the planned golf courses constitute one of the symptoms of the Plan’s unsustainability, does the
Commission not consider
the above-mentioned 66 projects in eastern Spain are in blatant
contravention of the principles of the framework directive on water, as well as the ‘principle of non-
deterioration’ incorporated in the Treaty?

that

Does the Commission not consider that its report on the public complaints submitted concerning the
National Hydrological Plan should include an assessment of the specific issue of the water requirements of
golf courses?

(1) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001, p. 99.
(2) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2002)

The Commission received a copy of the National Hydrological Plan law 10/2001, which in several places
and in particular in Article 17 deals with the uses of the waters transferred. In this article, it is stated that
the use of these waters will be to complete the existing water supply and to guarantee existing and future