WRITTEN QUESTION E-2365/03 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Delimitation of fisheries zones as between Portugal and Spain.
Date: 2003-07-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Portugal, Spain, arbitration, common fisheries policy, fishing area, fishing fleet

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/91

(2004/C 70 E/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2365/03

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 July 2003)

Subject: Delimitation of fisheries zones as between Portugal and Spain

The president of the Spanish Association of Skilled Nautical Personnel has called for a clear delimitation of
the fishing limits between Spain and Portugal, with a view to avoiding any further arrests of Spanish
fishermen and putting the required end to such disputes between countries which are friends and
neighbours and are both EU Member States.

The same person considers it unacceptable that such problems should exist between EU Member States.
It follows, in the view of Spain’s fishermen, that the fisheries zones need to be delimited in order to
prevent any further conflicts.

Does the Commission believe it to be its responsibility, under the EU’s common fisheries policy, to act
with a view to resolving the conflict over the delimitation of fisheries zones as between Spain and
Portugal, thus putting an end to the present unacceptable climate of conflict and, especially, the practice of
punishing Spanish fishermen’s incursions into Portuguese waters with prison sentences?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(13 August 2003)

The new legal basis of the Common Fisheries Policy, Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 (1), clearly
enshrines the principle of free access to waters and resources by all Community vessels, subject to the
relevant Community rules on fisheries management.

Re-introducing limitations to access in areas of national jurisdiction on the basis of nationality would be
contrary to the above principle. The Commission must ensure that fisheries access and conservation and
management measures are based on the principle of non-discrimination.

The Commission also believes that the existence of certain conflicts among fishermen would not justify a
failure to apply and enforce Community principles. The Commission is actively contributing to find a
solution to the problem of the access to Portuguese continental waters in the context of the proposal for
an effort regime in western waters. But the Commission is convinced that any solution in this regard must
be fully in conformity with the above-mentioned principles.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of

fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy, OJ L 358, 31.12.2002.

(2004/C 70 E/094)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2374/03

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Contracting and subcontracting by the Commission

(16 July 2003)

In view of the recent OLAF investigation into the alleged misappropriation of about EUR 900 000 by
senior Eurostat staff, the fact that the Commission has launched a reform of the accounting system, which
is deemed to be inadequate, and that Eurostat subcontracted services to Eurogramme, Eurocost and
Planistat, can the Commission specify what services have been contracted out and subcontracted in the last
five years, how much they cost, and what the mechanisms for allocating contracts and selecting successful
contractors are?