WRITTEN QUESTION E-0331/03 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission. European agency for islands.
Date: 2003-02-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU office or agency, EU regional policy, economic analysis, economic and social cohesion, island region, market access, single market

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/185

As regards the Paris Memorandum, Cyprus and Malta have already expressed their intention to become
signatories. To this end, their administrations have requested the Secretariat of the Paris Memorandum for
information concerning the procedure to be used for acceding as cooperative members. Discussions were
held in 2002 on this subject.

However, according to the information available, neither of the two administrations has so far presented a
formal request for accession or transmitted a self assessment of its compliance with the criteria laid down
in Article 8(2) of the Memorandum relating among other things to their capability and performance in
terms of flag state control and port state control, which is the first stage of the accession procedure.

It should be pointed out that the campaign against flags of convenience concerns vessels not meeting
Community and international standards in terms of working conditions and safety. The checks aimed at
identifying such vessels are covered by the acquis communautaire, the transposition and implementation of
which in Cyprus and Malta are being monitored by the Commission.

The State aid schemes for maritime transport in Malta and Cyprus have the same basic characteristics of
tonnage taxes as those existing in EU countries. It should be pointed out in this connection that the 1997
Community guidelines on State aid for maritime transport allow tax and social charge concessions for
shipowners and seafarers which may extend to zero rating of the charges in question.

According to the 2001 statistics produced by the Institute of Shipping, Economics and Logistics in
Bremen, the average age of vessels of 1 000 gross tonnes (gt) or more, of all types, is 17,9 years for Cyprus
and 23,4 years for Malta. It should, however, be pointed out that the safety of vessels is only partially
determined by their age and other factors, including their maintenance, have a major influence on the
general condition of the vessel and thus on its level of safety. For this reason the annual rate of detention
of vessels sailing under the Cypriot and Maltese flags (provisional figures for 2002: 7,68 % and 7,61 %
respectively, compared with 8,85 % and 9,48 % in 2001 and 11,8 % and 9,7 % in 2000) gives a more
accurate picture of their safety level.

Since March 2000, the Commission has planned and implemented a number of pre-accession aid projects
aimed at increasing the administrative capacity for implementing the acquis in the field of maritime safety
in Cyprus and Malta. The total amount of such projects is around EUR 4 million. Moreover, throughout
2003 and up to the accession of those countries in May 2004, the Commission will continue to monitor
progress achieved with regard to both the implementation of these projects and the commitments made
on maritime safety. This monitoring process is being carried out by means of various structures
(association committees, monitoring missions, joint committee for monitoring pre-accession projects). It
will be the subject of interim reports, with specific follow-up of the most important points with the
countries concerned. An overall monitoring report is scheduled for the end of 2003. Apart from that
report, the Commission will continue to provide Parliament, in particular through the Joint Parliamentary
Committees, with information on the implementation of Community legislation by the two countries
concerned during the period preceding ratification of the Accession Treaty.

(1) COM(2002) 700 final.

(2003/C 222 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0331/03

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 February 2003)

Subject: European agency for islands

Written question E-2303/01 (1) raised with the Commission the issue of the problems suffered by island
regions that are not among the most remote regions in the Community but are nonetheless separate from
mainland Europe and whose competitiveness is seriously compromised by the fact that they incur much
higher transport costs than firms situated on mainland Europe and by their lack of access to railways,
motorways and other overland transport systems, with this representing a serious handicap in the free-
trade area that is the EU’s single market.

C 222 E/186

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

The question proposed that one of the functions of European agencies was to facilitate the operation of
the European single market by acting as regulators, offering various services to industrial sectors, etc., and
that the setting-up of a European agency for islands was a necessary and appropriate step to compensate
for non-remote island regions’ lack of access to the free-trade area. It was pointed out that such an agency
would also be able to provide assistance on technical matters in connection with the very specific
problems experienced by island regions, and that more than 14 million people in Europe live in island
regions.

The Commission was asked for its views on the fact that it was difficult for certain European regions to
benefit on equal terms from one of the EU’s key principles (cid:1) that of the free market and free competition
(cid:1) and whether it agreed that a European agency for islands should be set up. The Commission replied that
it had initiated a study of the situation of islands in the Union, and that as part of this study a database on
island regions would be set up and their situation analysed objectively, which would involve a comparative
analysis and evaluation of the problems arising from the geographical position of islands and of their
special needs. This scientific study would not, however, attempt to assess the merits of setting up a
European agency for islands since that would be premature. The study was to last for one year.

Has the Commission now completed its study and if so have discussions on this issue been entered into?
Will it now support the setting-up of a European agency for islands? Would the Commission entertain the
possibility of siting that agency in the Balearic Islands?

(1) OJ C 81 E, 4.4.2002, p. 148.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(10 March 2003)

As the Honourable Member notes, the Commission has initiated a study on the situation of the Union’s
islands.

The Commission is currently considering the consolidated final reports of the study, which the contractor
provided on 31 January 2003.

The study, which was a scientific one, did not consider the question of a European agency for the islands.

When it has considered the reports, the Commission will make public the results of the study, which it
hopes will be followed by a debate. Such a debate could include the points raised by the Honourable
Member.

The Commission has taken note of the Honourable Member’s suggestions but does not at this stage intend
to establish a European agency for the islands.

(2003/C 222 E/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0332/03

by Dominique Souchet (NI) to the Council

(10 February 2003)

Subject: Election of Libya to chair the United Nations Commission on Human Rights

Did the concurring vote of the EU Member States, who abstained from the vote on Libya for chair of the
United Nations Commission on Human Rights,
thereby allowing Libya to become the international
community’s spokesman on respect for human rights, stem from a common position adopted within the
framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), or from another arrangement? Does the
Council feel that this appointment is likely to enhance the credibility of the United Nations system?