WRITTEN QUESTION E-1938/03 by Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission. Illegal employment in the fisheries sector.
Date: 2003-06-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United Kingdom, clandestine worker, competence of the Member States, fisherman, fishing industry, labour law, moonlighting, working conditions

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/191

Given the time required at institutional level to put in place a new Regulation, the Commission needs to
submit a proposal by early September 2003 at the latest. After that date, it would be too late to select new
projects in 2005 (cid:1) as was the case in 2000 between LIFE II and LIFE III. Nature conservation experts
seriously fear that the instrument will be purely and simply abandoned. Several recent meetings about
Natura 2000 have prompted doubts about the Commission’s willingness to pursue its short-term funding
policy for LIFE-Nature.

What plans does the European Commission have in this respect?

Is a two-year renewal along the lines of the current Regulation a possible option?

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/natura_articles.htm.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 2003)

The Commission is aware of the important role that the LIFE-Programme plays in supporting Community
nature conservation policy.

Since the new financial perspectives will not come on stream until 2007, consideration is now being given
to a proposal to extend the LIFE-Programme for three years in an adapted form. The objective is to bridge
the gap in co-funding from 2004 until 2007.

Rapid adoption by the Parliament and Council of such a Proposal would be required to avoid any
interruption in the present scheme of financing.

(2004/C 33 E/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1938/03

by Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Illegal employment in the fisheries sector

It has recently been reported that up to 50 per cent of workers employed in UK fish processing plants are
employed illegally. Many endure deplorable working conditions, working double shifts and seven-day
weeks, and are paid less than the minimum wage. During recent raids, the UK Department of Work and
Pensions and the police found that half of the workers gutting, filleting and packing fish were foreign and
that a third of them had entered the country illegally.

What measures does the Commission propose to protect such workers? Does the Commission have any
plans to regulate the labour agencies known as ‘gangmasters’ which are responsible for checking the status
of the workers in law and which are now shown to have exploited some of the most vulnerable people?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

The Commission does not have any information concerning the facts described by the Honourable
Member. Although it regrets that such situations can occur, it can intervene only where a principle or
provision of Community law is contravened.

C 33 E/192

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

Fishing was excluded from the scope of Directive 93/104/EC (1) concerning certain aspects of
the
is now covered by Directive 2000/34/EC (2), which has to be
organisation of working time, but
incorporated into the national legislation of Member States no later than 1 August 2003 (1 August 2004
in the case of doctors in training).

In any event, it is the task of the competent national authorities (judicial or other authorities), to ensure the
correct application of the provisions of national or Community law, also with regard to the fight against
undeclared work. In its Communication of 3 June 2003 (3) the Commission notes that undeclared work
seems to be on the increase in many Member States. However, since 2000, and especially in 2003, the
employment policy guidelines have included a commitment to combat this phenomenon. Furthermore,
one of the essential aspects of the common immigration policy is to combat illegal immigration, as set out
in the recent conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council.

(1) Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time,

OJ L 307, 13.12.1993.

(2) Directive 2000/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 2000 amending Council Directive
93/104/EC concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time to cover sectors and activities excluded
from that Directive, OJ L 195, 1.8.2000.

(3) Communication on the development of a common policy on illegal immigration, smuggling and trafficking of

human beings, external borders and the return of illegal residents, COM(2003) 323 final.

(2004/C 33 E/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1943/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Nitrates Directive and restructuring of intensive livestock farming

In a letter dated 4 January 2003, the Twente region agriculture section of the Dutch environmental group
Milieudefensie drew the Commission’s attention to the ‘restructuring of concentration areas’, an attempt to
restructure intensive livestock farming in some areas of the Netherlands.

Originally it was intended that this measure should also achieve environmental objectives, for example as
regards levels of nitrates in groundwater, which in some areas far exceed the European norm. Regrettably,
in the course of the administrative decision-making, this and other environmental objectives have gradually
been lost from sight and no effort is even being made to pursue them any longer, to say nothing of their
being achieved.

This is revealed by the Initial Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessments of the Restructuring of
the Salland-Twente Concentration Areas (Startnotitie Milieu Effectrapportage Reconstructie Concentratiege-
bieden Salland-Twente), which Milieudefensie has also forwarded to the Commission.

In some areas (cid:1) the so-called ‘agricultural development areas’ (cid:1) indeed, autonomous growth of livestock
numbers is being permitted, as the ‘area visions’ indicate.

Despite this, the Netherlands authorities are continuing with the restructuring plans, and Overijssel
provincial authority has decided to allocate EUR 40 million to them.

Does the Commission agree that policy, both on this restructuring and in general, should be designed to
pursue and ensure compliance with European environmental objectives?

To what extent does Dutch authorities’ support for this restructuring policy violate the Nitrates Directive
(91/676/EEC (1))?

(1) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1.