WRITTEN QUESTION P-3341/02 by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Delay in compensation payments to Andalusian fishermen.
Date: 2002-11-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Andalusia, EU control, aid system, co-financing, fishing fleet, fishing industry, indemnification, redevelopment aid, vocational retraining

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18.9.2003

the Council of 28 January 2002,

The traceability of food, feed, food-producing animals, and any other substance to be incorporated into
food or feed is comprehensively regulated, at the Community level, by Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of
the Parliament and of
laying down the general principles and
requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures
in matters of food safety (2). As from 1 January 2005 Article 18 of this Regulation will be fully applicable.
It stipulates that food and feed business operators must be able to identify both their suppliers and the
companies that they supply with products. The operators are required to organise their businesses so that
suitable traceability systems and procedures are in place and that information may be made available to
the competent authorities on demand. Food and feed can be placed on the market subject to appropriate
labelling and/or identification meant to facilitate its traceability.

With regard to the cross-border cattle trade it should be noted that Council Directive 90/425/EEC of
26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in
certain live animals and animal products with a view to the completion of the internal market (3) obliges
Member States to ensure that bovine animals must satisfy the requirements of Council Directive 64/432/
EEC of 26 June 1964 on animal health problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine animals and
swine (4). This Directive obliges Member States to ensure that only animals that
the relevant
conditions laid down are sent from their territories.

fulfil

Finall,
the information concerning possible deprivations of EUR 50 million to the detriment of
Community budget due to clandestine slaughter will be transmitted to the European Anti-fraud Office.

the

(1) OJ L 204, 11.8.2000.
(2) OJ L 31, 1.2.2002.
(3) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.
(4) OJ P 121, 29.7.1964.

(2003/C 222 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3341/02

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 November 2002)

Subject: Delay in compensation payments to Andalusian fishermen

In the wake of the non-renewal of the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement in 1999, the EU decided,
in
Council Regulation (EC) No 2561/2001 of 17 December 2001 (1) aiming to promote the conversion of
fishing vessels and of fishermen that were, up to 1999, dependent on the fishing agreement with Morocco,
to grant aids to the fishermen affected.

By now, hundreds of fishermen and vessel owners have destroyed their craft or have received authorisation
to do so (cid:1) yet they have still not received the agreed EUR 12 000. These people’s sole source of household
income has been unemployment benefit, which only runs for six months and which most of them will
therefore cease to receive in December 2002. In view of the problems attaching to conversion in the
fisheries sector and the high levels of unemployment in Andalusia, there is now a climate of uncertainty
and deep concern in the coastal areas affected.

Is the Commission aware of the delay in paying these aids to fishermen in Andalusia? Can it provide
information on the procedure applying to these aids, and name the authority competent to pay them in
the Autonomous Community of Andalusia?

the institution responsible for

implementing the Community budget, what controls can the
As
Commission operate to examine the actions of the competent national or regional authorities? Should
such controls be carried out and should they demonstrate the irregular nature of the situation, what
penalties will the Commission impose?

(1) OJ L 344, 28.12.2001, p. 17.

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Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 2002)

Council Regulation (EC) No 2561/2001 of 17 December 2001 aiming to promote the conversion of
fishing vessels and of fishermen that were dependent on the fishing agreement with Morocco refers to
Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down detailed rules and
arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector (1).

Under Regulation (EC) No 2561/2001 it is up to the authorities designated by the Member States to take
action (consonant with Regulations (EC) No 1263/1999 (2) and (EC) No 2792/1999 (3) to select projects
and grant Community aid for them.

At the beginning of the year the Commission paid out an advance of some EUR 37 000 000 and agreed
with the Spanish authorities on regular review of implementation of the measure.

Under Article 87 of the EC Treaty the Spanish authorities referred to the Commission for its approval their
provisions on national co-financing to accompany the Community aid. These were approved in July and
they then began to adopt decisions on submission and approval of projects co-financed under the specific
Morocco scheme introduced by Regulation (EC) No 2561/2001.

The Commission will take stock of the situation with the Spanish authorities at the next meeting of the
monitoring committee on 11 December. A visit by Commission officials to the areas concerned will
follow.

(1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.
(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1263/1999 of 21 June 1999 on the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (cid:1)

OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(3) Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down detailed rules and arrangements

regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries (cid:1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2003/C 222 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3356/02

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 November 2002)

Subject: The Commission’s Green paper and Follow-up Communication on Consumer Protection

On 7 December 2001, Commissioner Byrne made the statement that the Green Paper on Consumer
Protection is designed to form part of the Better Regulation initiative and suggested that the success of the
Green Paper is ‘a test case for the governance and better regulation ideas’.

Subsequently, on 5 June 2002, the Commission adopted a Communication on Impact Assessment as part
of the Better Regulation Package, which defined impact assessment as ‘an integral part of the process of
designing policy proposals and making decision-makers and the public aware of the likely impacts’.

In view of Commissioner Byrne’s statement, could the Commission please confirm that its approach to the
Green Paper and Follow-up Communication on EU Consumer Protection is consistent with the principles
set out in the Commission’s Communication on Impact Assessment?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 2002)

its approach in the Green Paper (1) and follow-up
The Commission is pleased to confirm that
Communication (2) is consistent with the principles set out in the Communication on impact assessment
and indeed remains in the vanguard of work on better regulation. The follow-up Communication
committed the Commission to producing an impact assessment report to complement a future proposal