WRITTEN QUESTION E-2485/02 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Possible dumping by aquaculture enterprises.
Date: 2002-09-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, aquaculture, common fisheries policy, dumping, fishery product, intra-EU trade, market, market prices

C 52 E/178

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

The Cliffe Marshes form part of the Thames Estuary and Marshes Special Protection Area (SPA), classified
under Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (2). Therefore, any
development of an airport that may adversely affect this site would only be possible if it was in conformity
with the procedural and substantive safeguards laid down in Article 6(3) and (4) of Council Directive 92/
43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (3), which
apply to all SPAs.

This would require an environmental assessment of the proposed development, with particular regard to
its potential effects on the nature conservation values of the SPA. If this assessment shows that significant
damage to the SPA would occur then it would only be permissible to proceed in the absence of alternative
solutions and where there is an overriding public interest. In such cases it would be necessary to put in
place compensation measures to offset the loss of habitat that would arise from the development.

As the development of an airport is a matter that falls under national competence there is no prior
authorisation required from the Commission.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(3) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2003/C 52 E/196)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2485/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(6 September 2002)

Subject: Possible dumping by aquaculture enterprises

the aquaculture industry in Spain, France,

Representatives of
Italy and Portugal have drawn the
Commission’s attention to the dumping practised by Greek aquaculture enterprises, who are accused of
selling their products at prices which do not reflect their real costs and thus jeopardising the survival and
the production of other enterprises in the Community, especially in the case of sea-bass and John Dory.

The Association of Maríne Aquaculture Producers (Apromar, Spain), the French Maríne Aquaculture
Society, the Portuguese Aquaculture Producers’ Association and the Italian Aquaculture Association have
all complained at the fact that Greece’s aquaculture enterprises, which produce some 60 000 tonnes
(or tenfold the total consumption level on the national market), export their surplus to the remaining
Member States at artificially low prices.

Has the Commission investigated the matter?

What measures does it intend to adopt?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 2002)

The Commission is informed of the reducing average market prices of seabass and seabream in 2001 and
is closely following this issue.

According to the data available from Globefish (Food and Agricultural Organisation), both species average
prices fell gradually from January to November 2001, reaching very low minima during the period
September-November 2001. However the prices of both species started recovering in December 2001 and
this trend continued in 2002. The average price of seabass in July 2002 was approximately 20 % higher
than in November 2001, the average price of seabream increased by approximately 35 % over the same
period.

The Commission did not receive formal complaints with regard to the Greek producers’ commercial
behaviour, nor until now any evidence corroborated the allegations of
these
producers

irregular practices of

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/179

The Commission (Directorate General Fisheries) met on 30 October 2001 a delegation of the European
Federation of Aquaculture Producers on this issue. At this meeting it clearly appeared that the only
possible actions are on the one hand to improve co-ordination of the producers (through, if necessary, the
setting up of Producers Organisations), and possibly to launch marketing actions. These actions are to be
taken by the producers themselves, but could benefit some financial assistance in the framework of the
respective national financial instrument for fisheries guidance Structural Funds programmes.

The situation of the market for farmed sea bass and sea bream was also discussed at the meeting of the
Management Committee for Fisheries Products on 9 April 2002 and at a special meeting between the
Commission and the Member States most concerned on 16 May 2002. None of these meetings has given
a clear view of whether there is a structural crisis or whether problems currently encountered are of a
seasonal nature. In this respect, the Member States concerned committed to gather further information
with a view to carry out a more in-depth analysis of the situation of the market for these species. A new
meeting on this issue, in which will participate also representatives from the industry, is scheduled for
autumn 2002.

The Commission is also examining the possibility of undertaking a study concerning the market situation
of seabass and seabream.

(2003/C 52 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2488/02

by Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 September 2002)

Subject: Impact of the forthcoming enlargement on customs officials

Since a number of candidate countries will become part of the European Union in 2004 and the customs
barriers with those countries will be abolished, what steps does the Commission intend to take regarding
possible compensation (as in the case of
involved in customs
formalities?

the previous enlargement)

for staff

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2002)

As referred to by the Honourable Member, the Council launched in 1992 a 30 MECU action programme
designed to retrain and re-employ custom agents and allowed Member States to use Community structural
funds (European Social Fund and Interreg I) to introduce accompanying measures (Council Regulation
(EEC) No 3904/92 of 17 December 1992 on measures to adapt the profession of customs agent to the
internal market (1)). It established also a training programme to help national administrations reorganise
their custom operations (Council Decision No 94/844/EC of 19 December 1994 establishing specific
common programmes for the vocational training of customs officials, with regard to preferential systems,
the control of containers, processing under customs control, and warehouse regimes
(Matthaeus
programme) (2)).

A similar issue was raised in Commission Communication concerning the employment aspects of the
the
decision to abolish tax- and duty-free sales for
Commission encouraged Member States to apply for assistance under the Structural Funds or for securing
approval of State aid under the relevant guidelines laid down by the Commission. It did not propose a new
and separate measure.

intra-Community travellers (3). At

this point,

The Commission intends to adopt the same approach as regards custom agents who will be concerned by
the forthcoming enlargement.

(1) OJ L 394, 31.12.1992.
(2) OJ L 352, 31.12.1994.
(3) OJ C 66, 9.3.1999.