WRITTEN QUESTION E-1743/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Positions publicly stated by various Commissioners regarding the reform of the common fisheries policy proposed by Commissioner Franz Fischler.
Date: 2002-06-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common fisheries policy, fishing regulations, fishing rights

C 28 E/130

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2002)

The Honourable Member’s request will be dealt with in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of
the European Parliament and the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament,
Council and Commission documents (1).

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001.

(2003/C 28 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1716/02

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 June 2002)

Subject: List of officials

Further to Question E-3033/01 (1), also tabled by the author of the present question, can the Commission
supply a list of all officials employed by it, with particular reference to categories A and B and broken
down by subcategories and nationalities?

(1) OJ C 115 E, 16.5.2002, p. 216.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2002)

A table showing the breakdown of staff working in the Commission by nationality, category and grade, as
defined in the Staff Regulations and limited to categories A and B on June 1st 2002, is sent direct to the
Honourable Member and to the Parliament’s General Secretariat.

(2003/C 28 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1743/02

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

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Positions publicly stated by various Commissioners regarding the reform of the common fisheries

policy proposed by Commissioner Franz Fischler

Various Members of the Commission, such as Mrs Loyola de Palacio, Mrs Margot Wallström and Mr Neil
Kinnock, have expressed their views on the content of Commissioner Franz Fischler’s proposal concerning
the reform of the CFP. None of them, nor Mr Fischler himself, and not even those particularly concerned
about the state of resources, have publicly stated a position regarding the need to review or eliminate the
principle of relative stability, which favours some countries and fleets and discriminates against others, and
allowing a substantial proportion of the catch rights to be used by certain States in the north of the EU to
be used to catch species for the manufacture of
fish meal. What are the prevailing views in the
Commission regarding this discriminatory principle and its impact on the state of fish resources and on
territorial and social equilibrium inside the EU?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 July 2002)

The Commission has expressed,
in the framework of the ‘roadmap’ on the reform of the Common
Fisheries Policy, that fishing possibilities will still be allocated through relative stability for the foreseeable
future.

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/131

The current situation is characterised by a structural imbalance between available fisheries resources and
the size of power of fishing fleets, the continuing dependence of certain coastal communities on fisheries
and the absence of similar conditions of competition for operators in different Member States, due to
different national attitudes towards public aid to the sector. This situation does not favour the application
of normal economic conditions in the Community fisheries sector.

The Commission’s proposals for reform aim at addressing the issues mentioned above in order to help
create an environment more favourable to the elimination of barriers to normal economic activity such as
national allocation of fishing possibilities, based on the principle of relative stability.

The Commission has also announced that it will launch a debate in the course of 2003 on alternative
management systems that could replace relative stability in the future once the structural problems of the
fisheries sector have been addressed and the economic and social situation in the sector has become more
stable.

(2003/C 28 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1746/02

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

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Consequences of the conclusion, on 31 December 2002, of the transitional period restricting

access to Community waters for the Spanish and Portuguese fleets

What consequences will the conclusion of this transitional period have on the TACs granted to the Spanish
and Portuguese fishing fleets?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2002)

In accordance with the Act of Accession of 1985, the two Member States’ fleets will have access to all
Community waters on a non-discriminatory basis, subject to the general access limitations which apply in
some areas such as the Shetland box. From 1 January 2003 access to resources beyond the 12 miles will
be based on Council decisions in conformity with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy.

(2003/C 28 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1747/02

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

(19 June 2002)

Subject: The situation of the Commission’s Director-General for Fisheries, Steffen Schmidt

Has the Director-General for Fisheries, Mr Steffen Schmidt, actually been dismissed or is he still in office, as
the Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, surprisingly seems to have indicated?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(6 August 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to point 3 of its joint answer to written questions
E-1430/02 by Mr Meijer and E-1563/02 by Mr Corbett (1).

(1) OJ C 309 E, 12.12.2002, p. 122.