WRITTEN QUESTION E-0150/03 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU-Mauritania international fisheries agreement and development cooperation.
Date: 2003-01-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, Mauritania, cooperation agreement, financial compensation of an agreement, fishing agreement, fishing regulations, fishing rights

C 192 E/160

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 2003)

For the period 3 December 2002 to 2 December 2003, the amount of the financial contribution
that amount,
is allocated to financing targeted measures to develop the Mauritian fishing

1.
provided for by the Protocol currently in force is EUR 412 500 a year (1). Half of
i.e. EUR 206 250 a year,
industry.

The financial contribution of EUR 412 500 a year referred to above represents the amount granted in
2.
exchange for the fishing opportunities granted to the Community fleet, which comprise 5 500 tonnes of
annual catches in Mauritian waters. If the annual catches made in Mauritian waters by Community vessels
exceed that quantity, the above amount is to be increased by EUR 50 per additional tonne.

Regarding the fees to be paid by Community vessel owners, point 2 of the Annex to the Protocol

3.
stipulates:

The fee shall be set at EUR 25 per tonne caught in the waters of Mauritius.

For tuna seiners, licences shall be issued on advance payment of an annual sum of EUR 1 750 per tuna
seiner, equivalent to the fees for 70 tonnes of annual catches within the waters of Mauritius.

For surface longliners, licences shall be issued on advance payment to Mauritius of an annual sum of
EUR 1 375 for a surface longliner of more than 150 grt and EUR 1 000 for surface longliners of
150 grt or less.

These amounts correspond respectively to the fees due for 55 tonnes and for 40 tonnes of annual
catches in Mauritian waters.

(1) See Articles 2 and 3 of the Protocol defining, for the period 3 December 1999 to 2 December 2002, the fishing
opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Agreement between the EC and Mauritius
(cid:1) OJ L 180, 19.7.2000 referred to by the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters extending that Protocol
for the period 3 December 2002 to 2 December 2003, initialled by both parties on 29.11.2002.

(2003/C 192 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0150/03

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: EU-Mauritania international fisheries agreement and development cooperation

In the context of
indicate:

the current EU-Mauritania international

fisheries agreement, can the Commission

1. how much the EU has earmarked for the development of the fisheries sector in Mauritania?

2. how much the EU pays by way of a financial contribution in exchange for fishing rights for the

Community fleet?

3. how much Community shipowners have to pay in fees for fishing licences and fishing rights?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2003)

1.
Article 2 of the current Protocol to the fisheries agreement between the Community and the Islamic
Republic of Mauritania (1) fixes the level of financial contribution at EUR 86 000 000 per year. Of this,
EUR 4 000 000 is used for the measures in support of the Mauritanian fisheries sector specified in Article 5
of the Protocol.

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/161

The financial contribution of EUR 86 000 000 per year represents the amount that

2.
exchange for the fishing opportunities made available to the Community fleet.

is paid in

The amounts paid by the vessel owners are fixed in the Fishing Datasheets (FD) included in the

3.
Protocol.

For demersal fisheries, the licence fees (as of the 1 January 2003) are:

FD

1

2

3

4

5

6

Fishery

Licence fee
(EUR/Gross Register Tons (GRT)/year)

Crustaceans other than crawfish

Black hake trawlers and bottom longliners

Demersal species other than hake with gear other than trawls

Freezer trawlers fishing for demersal fish

Cephalopods

Crawfish

358

159

178 (< 100 GRT)
263 (> 100 GRT)

207

450

321

For the tuna fishery (FD No 7 and 8), the licence fees are EUR 25 per tonne (T) of tuna caught within the
waters of Mauritania. The licences are delivered after advance payments of EUR 1 250 for tuna seiners and
of EUR 2 500 for surface longliners and pole and line vessels. The amount of the advances are deducted
from the total amount due on the basis of the catches during the preceding year, but if the amount due is
less than the advance the balance is not recoverable.

For the pelagic freezer trawlers (FD No 9), the licence fees are EUR 2,5 per GT per month. In addition to
the licence fee, catches over the yearly limits defined for each of three categories of vessel (< 3 000 GT,
12 500 T/vessel/year; 3 000-5 000 GT, 17 500 T/vessel/year; 5 000-9 500 GT, 22 500 T/vessel/year) shall
be paid at a rate of EUR 19 per tonne.

(1) OJ L 341, 22.12.2001.

(2003/C 192 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0161/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Enclosure of the Filopappos Hill in Athens

(29 January 2003)

The Greek Ministry of Culture, by way of the Community-funded ‘Agency for the integration of the
archaeological sites of Athens’, has decided to fence off a huge area around the Filopappos Hill and the
Observatory opposite the Acropolis, which is several kilometres long, with ugly metal railings.

At the same time, a number of projects are being carried out in the area, such as building facilities for an
unspecified exhibition of sculpture, etc. In practice, the fence prevents Athenians from enjoying safe and
free access to the hill, particularly those thousands who live in the surrounding neighbourhoods, many of
whom make regular visits to take a walk (or walk their dogs), to exercise (jog, climb), to picnic, etc.,
pursuits which constitute ‘low-key’ use of the hill for the benefit of the general public and their quality of
life.

What is the Commission’s view of the practical measures taken to implement a programme which it is
funding? What is its position on such a (sustainable?) development project carried out in this manner and
on the basis of which criteria was it approved?