WRITTEN QUESTION E-0035/03 by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Fisheries agreements.
Date: 2003-01-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Angola, Senegal, agreement (EU), catch of fish, fisheries policy, fishing agreement

C 161 E/172

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

The three eighteen-year-old students (cid:1) Khyzyr Dotuyev, Bogdan Bikayev and Ramzan Dzhabrailov (cid:1) all
came from the village of Makhkety in Vedeno region, and had rented a flat together in Grozny, in order
not to travel every day from Makhkety to their classes. According to neighbours, the young men were
arrested and taken away in armoured vehicles by Russian troops. Teaching staff of the Oil Institute wrote
to all the authorities, including a personal appeal to the head of the pro-Russian head of the Chechen
Government, Akhmad Kadyrov, but no steps were taken to search for the missing men.

Is the Commission informed about the discovery of the bodies of Khyzyr Dotuyev, Bogdan Bikayev and
Ramzan Dzhabrailov in Grozny? Has the Commission reacted to this umpteenth extrajudicial killing in
Chechnya? Does the Commission still believe that these continual extrajudicial killings in Chechnya (still
part of the Russian Federation) are compatible with its very constructive policy toward the Russian
Federation?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 2003)

The situation in Chechnya is of deep concern to the Commission, which roundly condemns all abuses of
human rights. There is no justification for such abuses.

The Commission has been informed about press reports concerning the tragic deaths of the three students.
The Commission has called on the relevant Russian authorities to vigorously investigate all reports of
human rights abuses. In this regard, the Commission is ready to participate in discussions and initiatives
on Chechnya with international institutions such as the Council of Europe, which actively supports the
work of the Presidential Representative for Human Rights in Chechnya, Mr Sultygov. The Commission
does, however, deeply regret the closure of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) Assistance Group to Chechnya, which played a valuable role in promoting respect for human
rights. Discussions with a view to finding a solution so that the AG can remain in Chechnya with a
meaningful mandate are ongoing. The situation is under constant review at the Council, which has
suggested a human rights dialogue with Russia.

The Commission supports the Union’s overall position, which is that developing a broadly based
partnership with Russia is a vital objective, but that implementation of shared values, especially in the
fields of democracy and human rights, must be a key element of that partnership. The conflict has claimed
thousands of lives and caused untold suffering in the northern Caucasus. The Commission has raised this
issue within the framework of the Union’s bilateral political dialogue with the Russian Federation at the
Union-Russia Ministerial meeting of 24 January 2003 in Athens.

(2003/C 161 E/177)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0035/03

by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 January 2003)

Subject: Fisheries agreements

the Council approved fisheries agreements with Senegal and Angola. What

is the
In December,
Commission’s view of the benefits which these expensive agreements will bring to the Community as a
whole? It seems as if the agreements will exclusively benefit the Spanish fishing industry and only a few
fishermen from other countries.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 March 2003)

The fisheries Protocols with Senegal and with Angola provide fishing opportunities to the Member States
that are based on their traditional fishing activities in the area and on the level of interest in those fisheries
by their respective industries. For these reasons, Spain is the Member State with the largest allocations of
fishing possibilities, but it is not true that the agreements exclusively benefit the Spanish industry.

10.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161 E/173

The Protocol to the fisheries agreement with Senegal provides fishing possibilities for vessels from Greece,
Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. For coastal demersal fishing, Spain is allocated 46 % of the fishing
possibilities, Greece 16 %, and Italy 38 %. For deepwater demersal fishing Spain is allocated 95 % of the
possibilities and Portugal 5 %. For pole and line vessels, Spain is allocated 62 % of the opportunities and
France 38 %. For the tuna seiners, Spain is allocated 62 % of the possibilities and France 46 %. For surface
longliners, Spain is allocated 87 % of the possibilities and Portugal 13 %.

The Protocol with Angola provides fishing opportunities for vessels from Greece, Spain, France, Ireland,
Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal. Spain is allocated all the licences to fish for shrimps. For demersal
fishing, Spain is allocated 44 % of the possibilities, Portugal 26 %, Italy 18 % and France 12 %. For tuna
fishing, Spain is allocated 70 % of the possibilities, France 18 % and Portugal 12 %. The licences to fish for
pelagic species are allocated only to Ireland and the Netherlands.

It should be noted, however,
opportunities to any other Member State that requests fishing possibilities.

for both the Protocols,

that

the Commission may allocate unused

The annual financial compensation to Angola amounts to EUR 15 500 000, of which 35 % is devoted to
targeted actions to help develop Angola’s own fishing industry. The annual financial compensation to
Senegal amounts to EUR 16 000 000, of which 19 % is aimed at developing a partnership for sustainable
fisheries.

Under the Protocols, the catches of Community vessels are considered to be of Community origin. The
value of the catches, excluding tuna, on the Community market is typically more than double the level of
‘Evaluation of Fishing Agreements Concluded by the
the financial compensation. The 1999 report
European Community’
the fisheries agreement with Senegal
generated 592 direct and 892 indirect jobs within the Member States. The fisheries agreement with Angola
was estimated to have generated 530 direct and 599 indirect jobs within the Member States.

(Ifremer, Cemare, CEP), estimates that

(2003/C 161 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0057/03

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

(22 January 2003)

Subject: EU fishing agreements with Morocco following the latter’s offer of fishing licences for 64 vessels

from Galicia and other parts of Spain

Has the Commission (together with the Spanish Government or the Moroccan authorities) considered the
possibility of laying the foundations for a new and different fishing agreement with Morocco, following the
offer made by that country’s King in respect of fishing licences for 64 vessels from Galicia and other parts
of Spain, as a way of helping to compensate for the damage caused by the Prestige disaster?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 February 2003)

The Commission cannot but express its great pleasure at this warmly generous gesture to a sector severely
affected by the Prestige disaster. It further reinforces the deep ties linking the Union, its Member States and
Morocco.

The Commission does not at present have in mind commencement of negotiations with Morocco for
conclusion of an agreement on access to Moroccan waters for fishing.