WRITTEN QUESTION E-1744/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. The intended full application of the FIFG in order to reduce substantially the European Union's fishing fleet.
Date: 2002-06-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: FIFG, application of EU law, common fisheries policy, fishery management, fishing fleet, fishing industry, legislation, modernisation aid, redevelopment aid, structural policy

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/157

As far as Ispra is concerned, it should be noted that most of the activities of this centre concern only the
treatment of nuclear waste and that its security measures have also been reinforced.

(2002/C 309 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1739/02

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Council

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Violation of the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information

In Italy, where the number of telephone calls tapped by the judicial authorities has now reached Orwellian
proportions, there is a huge furore over the ‘eavesdropping’ on ‘Il Giornale’ journalist Marco Chiocci.

Mr Chiocci had in fact been the subject of a three-year campaign ordered by the Rome Public Prosecutors
Office during which all his private and professional calls were tapped.

Other, no less serious, cases have also been reported by representative bodies of the press and of the body
of journalists.

Does the Council consider that this widespread behaviour on the part of Italian magistrates constitutes
serious and repeated violation of the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information, as
specifically provided for in Recommendation No R (2000) 7 of 8 March 2000 of the Council of Europe
Committee of Ministers to member states on the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of
information, and in particular Principle 6 thereof, which ‘aims at ensuring that a mere interception order,
surveillance order or search and seizure order does not circumvent the protection of journalists’ sources [of
information] or be applied in a way which lowers this protection’?

Reply

(8 October 2002)

Article 33 of the Treaty on European Union stipulates that the exercise of responsibilities with regard to
the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal security is a matter for the Member
States. It is not for the Council to take a position on the measures taken in that context by a Member State
in an individual case.

The recommendation mentioned by the Honourable Member has been adopted in the framework of the
Council of Europe. The Council of the European Union is not in a position to determine whether it has
been violated.

(2002/C 309 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1744/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: The intended full application of the FIFG in order to reduce substantially the European Union’s

fishing fleet

How does the Commission intend to solve the extremely serious legal and social problems caused by the
intended use of FIFG structural funding to cut part of the European fleet, as envisaged in the reform of the
common fisheries policy advocated by the Commission, when in actual fact, according to Agenda 2000, in
the period 2000-2006 these funds are earmarked for the modernisation of the fleet?

C 309 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2002)

The argument that structural funds allocations cannot be changed during the financing period (2000-
2006) is incorrect in view of Article 14, paragraph 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June
1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1). This article specifies that reprogramming
can take place either at the initiative of a Member State or of the Commission in agreement with this
Member State, at the mid-term review or in the event of significant changes in the socio-economic
situation and the labour market.

Furthermore, Article 3, paragraph 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999
laying down the detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries
sector (2) provides that ‘for the remainder of the programming period not yet covered by a multi-annual
guidance programme (MAGP) approved by the Commission, the programming information shall be purely
indicative’. Thus after the end of MAGP IV at the end of year 2002, any money earmarked by one Member
State for fleet renewal and modernisation under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), will
be available for reprogramming to other areas by this same Member State.

The Commission is fully aware that bringing fishing effort down to a sustainable level, that is one which
would not threaten fish stocks over the long term, implies social costs in the short term. To alleviate these
costs, and to help fishermen who wish to re-train or to invest in new activities outside of the sector, the
Commission proposes that EUR 460 million be re-allocated to social measures from support to vessels
construction or modernisation, instead of the EUR 103 million currently programmed by Member States
under the FIFG for 2000 to 2006.

Social measures are necessary to help the fishing sector bridge the gap between the consequences of the
necessary reductions in fishing effort on threatened stocks, whether through limitations of fishing days or
through temporary closures of fishing zones, and the longer term gains in productivity and profitability of
the vessels remaining in the fleet. This in turn will mean better job security for fishermen wishing to
remain in the fishing sector, instead of the steady annual fall of close to 8 000 fisherman that we have seen
for the past ten years.

Ignoring now the hard fact that fish stocks in Community waters cannot sustain the size of the fishing
fleets we have today, would bring much more severe job losses from stock and fisheries collapses later.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2002/C 309 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1745/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Participation by ship owners’ and fishermen’s organisations in the debate on the reform of the

common fisheries policy

How will the Commission ensure the participation of these organisations in the reform of the CFP, in
order to enable then to express their views on both the state of fishery resources and the social and
economic problems caused by the reform and its definitive provisions?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2002)

The Commission launched a large consultation process prior to the adoption of the common fisheries
policy (CFP) reform proposals in which the shipowners and fishermen organisations participated actively.