WRITTEN QUESTION E-2644/02 by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission. Violation by Norway of the EEA Agreement in dispute regarding the export of non-Norwegian fish on Norwegian certificates of origin.
Date: 2002-09-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Denmark, EU relations, European Economic Area, Norway, administrative check, certificate of origin, common commercial policy, import (EU), originating product, trade relations, withdrawal from an agreement

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/7

(cid:1) whether, after the damage caused, it will check whether the construction is flawed and whether all the

necessary measures were taken to prevent damage occurring during construction?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 2002)

The Kifissos avenue, linking the Pathe motorway with the city of Piraeus and all the southern suburbs of
Athens, is an important project for the fluidity of the traffic in the ring road system of Athens. As such, it
has been co-financed under the Operational Programme (OP) ‘Road Axes’ of the 1994-1999 Community
support framework (CSF) for Greece. It is also programmed to receive co-financing under the CSF for the
2000-2006 programming period.

The Commission has neither competence nor participation in the design, contracting and construction of
specific projects, whose execution is being done by the Member States. Since the project exceeds
EUR 50 million,
the Commission will ask the Greek authorities for information on the respect of
Community legislation, as provided for by Articles 25 and 26 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of
21 June 1999 laying down general provision on the Structural funds (1). As far as the period 1994-1999 is
concerned, a similar examination will be carried out by the Commission during the closure of the OP
mentioned above.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 11 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2644/02

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(20 September 2002)

Subject: Violation by Norway of the EEA Agreement in dispute regarding the export of non-Norwegian fish

on Norwegian certificates of origin

In the Commission’s long-running dispute concerning the purchase of fish from Norway by Danish fish
importers, it has long been clear that the Danish importers were acting in good faith, since they accepted
the certificates of origin from Norway, which appeared in every respect to be correct and valid.

The Danish Minister of Finance has now made it quite clear that the Danish Finance Ministry places the
blame for this whole case fairly and squarely on the incorrect and superficial manner in which the
Norwegian authorities handled the issuing of certificates of origin. The Danish minister has hitherto called
in vain on the Norwegian authorities to acknowledge their mistakes, which consisted in particular of
authorising Norwegian firms to issue certificates of origin without fulfilling even the most elementary
requirements for issuing these certificates and without the necessary supervision being exercised by the
Norwegian customs.

Since the Norwegian government has thus not complied with the EEA Agreement, still less acknowledged
the mistakes that have occurred, will the Commission be taking any steps towards rescinding the EEA
Agreement with Norway?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 October 2002)

The Commission refers to the replies it gave to oral question H-0453/02 during question time at
Parliament’s June 2002 session (1) and to Written Question P-2363/02 (2), both of them by Mrs Riis-
Jorgensen, in which it has already explained the measures taken under the European Economic Area (EEA)
Agreement concerning this matter. The Commission considers that, taking into account the actions having
already taken place, rescinding the EEA Agreement would be a disproportionate reaction to this problem,
and it is not being considered.

(1) Written reply, 11.6.2002.
(2) OJ C 110 E, 8.5.2003, p. 49.