WRITTEN QUESTION E-0428/03 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. The social clause in international fisheries agreements.
Date: 2003-02-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, agreement (EU), fishing agreement, labour law, negotiation of an agreement (EU), social clause

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14.8.2003

The same principles would also apply for internationally recognised diplomas for marine motor boat
licences where such diplomas are third country diplomas. However, the Commission is currently not aware
of any specific problem in this area in Greece.

(1) Case 379/87, Groener ECR [1989] 3967.
(2) Case C-281/98, Angonese ECR [2000] I-04139.
(3) CJEC, judgment of 25 July 1991, C-221/89, The Queen v. Secretary of State for Transport, ex parte Factortame Ltd

and others, paragraph 30.

(4) CJEC, judgment of 27 November 1997, C-62/96, Commission v. Hellenic Republic.
(5) Council Directive 92/51/EEC of 18 June 1992 on a second general system for the recognition of professional

education and training to supplement Directive 89/48/EEC (cid:1) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.

(6) Council Directive 2001/19/EC of 14 May 2001 amending Council Directives 89/48/EEC and 92/51/EEC on the
general system for the recognition of professional qualifications and Council Directives 77/452/EEC, 77/453/EEC,
78/686/EEC, 78/687/EEC, 78/1026/EEC, 78/1027/EEC, 80/154/EEC, 80/155/EEC, 85/384/EEC, 85/432/EEC, 85/
433/EEC and 93/16/EEC concerning the professions of nurse responsible for general care, dental practitioner,
veterinary surgeon, midwife, architect, pharmacist and doctor.

(2003/C 192 E/224)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0400/03

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 February 2003)

Subject: Unfair subsidies

Will the Commission please tell me if it is aware of any subsidies going to Northern Irish fruit processing
plants, involving EU money? Where does the responsibility lie between the Commission and Member
States for keeping records on the precise destination of CAP subsidies through co-financing schemes?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 March 2003)

In accordance with Article 25 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for
rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending
and repealing certain Regulations (1) support can be provided for investments to facilitate the improvement
and rationalisation of processing and marketing of agricultural products.

In Northern Ireland this support is provided in the framework of the Objective 1 Operational Programme
(2000-2006), also called the ‘Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme’, submitted to the Commission by
the Northern Ireland authorities. This Programme was approved by the Commission on 22 March 2001
and is co-financed by the Guidance Section of the EAGGF.

In application of the principle of subsidiarity the implementation of this Programme and the selection of
eligible projects for Community funding remains in the hands of the national authorities.

However, as it appears from the Programme, the Northern Ireland authorities do not intend to provide
support to projects in the sector of fruit processing.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2003/C 192 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0428/03

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: The social clause in international fisheries agreements

(18 February 2003)

In its most recent resolutions on international fisheries agreements (e.g. the resolution of 20 November
2002 on the EC-São Tomé and Príncipe fisheries agreement), the European Parliament has urged that

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protocols to agreements should incorporate the social clause adopted by the sea fishing industry Social
Dialogue Committee meeting in plenary session, on 19 December 2001, in order to ensure that all seamen
sailing on EU vessels may enjoy freedom of association and the right of collective bargaining, suffer no
discrimination, earn a decent wage and benefit from living and working conditions similar to those of EU
seamen.

In what way will the Commission incorporate the social clause when negotiating future fisheries protocols
with third countries?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2003)

The Commission intends to systematically propose the inclusion of the social clause agreed by the social
partners in all future negotiations with third countries for the conclusion of fishery agreements or renewals
of fisheries protocols.

(2003/C 192 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0447/03

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(19 February 2003)

Subject: Impact of industrial fishing on the bird population

Has the Commission asked for any studies to investigate the consequences of industrial fishing for the sand
eel population and the knock-on effects on the bird population, which seems to have been seriously
compromised in UK coastal waters?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 2003)

During the last decade, a sandeel fishery developed in the north-west North Sea, off the Firth of Forth. This
is an important breeding area for seabirds, and the removal of large quantities of sandeel, within their
foraging range, soon became a matter of concern. The United Kingdom called for a moratorium on sandeel
fishing adjacent to seabird colonies along the United Kingdom coast and in response the Community
requested advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

An ICES Study Group was convened in 1999. On the basis of the information available the study group
proposed that kittiwake breeding success was the best practical indicator of sandeel availability, at least to
seabirds; kittiwake populations decline with breeding success below a certain threshold, and increase with
breeding success above another threshold. The Study Group therefore recommended using these two
values as triggers to close and re-open, respectively, the sandeel fishery near the Firth of Forth. As breeding
success of kittiwakes had declined below the threshold, the Study Group recommended that the fishery be
closed.

The Community agreed with ICES advice to close the fishery. A three year closure, from 2000 to 2002,
was decided and the Commission was asked to produce annual reports to the Council (Article 29a of
Council Regulation EC No 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through
technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms (1)).

Now that the three-year period has expired, the Commission is organising an expert consultation meeting
to determine future action. A report compiled by British and Danish scientists will be presented at the
meeting.

The report draws upon information from the following Community and nationally funded contracts:

(cid:1) Population structure in the lesser sandeel
predator interactions (DG XIV CFP. 94/071);

(Ammodytes marinus) and its implications for fishery-