Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing for the 2004 fishing year the guide prices and Community producer prices for certain fishery products pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000
Date: 2003-12-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: aquaculture, common fisheries policy, common organisation of markets, fishery product, guide price, producer price

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 8.12.2003
COM(2003) 762 final

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

fixing for the 2004 fishing year the guide prices and Community producer prices
for certain fishery products pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000

.

(presented by the Commission)

EN

  EN

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Article  18  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  104/2000  on  the  common  organisation  of  the  markets  in
fishery and aquaculture products requires a  guide price  to be  fixed  for  each  of  the  products
listed in Annex I and each of the products and groups of products listed in Annex II thereto.
The  calculation  is  made  on  the  basis  of  the  average  of  prices  recorded  for  a  significant
proportion  of  Community  output  on  wholesale  markets  or  in  ports  during  the  three  fishing
years immediately preceding the year for which the price is fixed.

When fixing those prices, account is also taken of trends in production and demand and other
factors such  as  the  need  to ensure  stable market prices  and  support producers’  incomes  and
the interests of consumers.

Compared with the period 2000-2002, average prices for white fish have fallen considerably
over  the  period  2001-2003,  with  decreases  of  between  -2%  and  -6%  for  most  species  and
peaks down to –18%. During the first half of 2003, prices for white fish were generally lower
than  during  the  same  period  of  the  previous  year.  In  the  light  of  this  unfavourable  market
situation,  the  Commission  proposes  decreases  in  the  guide  prices  for  most  species  of  white
fish  of  between  –0,5%  and  -6%.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Commission  recommends  slight
increases of between +1% and +1,5% for plaice, megrim, whole monkfish and sole. It is also
proposed maintaining the price for dogfish at its current level.

As regards pelagic species, the change in average prices over 2001-2003 compared to 2000-
2002 ranged from -7% to +16%. While prices for sardines, mackerel and anchovy have been
increasing,  the  situation  for  herring,  Spanish  mackerel  and  albacore  has  deteriorated.  The
Commission is  therefore proposing increases of  the  prices  for  these  species  between  +1,5%
(sardines  and  mackerel)  and  +2,5%  (anchovies),  except  for  herring,  albacore  and  Spanish
mackerel (decreases between –0,5% and -2%).

As regards other species, in particular crustaceans, the  recent market situation has been less
favourable. The Commission, therefore, proposes decreases in the corresponding prices.

Prices  for  frozen  products  have  tended  to  decrease  on  the  international  markets  with  the
exception  of  cuttlefish,  octopus  and  prawns  (other  Penaeidae),  for  which  the  Commission
proposes  increases  between  +1%  and  +2%.  The  Commission  also  proposes  maintaining
current guide prices for squids (Loligo), common squids and Illex.

Furthermore,  Article  26  of  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  104/2000  requires  a  Community
producer price to be fixed for tuna intended for the canning industry. The calculation is made
on  the  basis  of  the  average  of  prices  recorded  for  a  significant  proportion  of  Community
output on wholesale markets or in ports during the three fishing years immediately preceding
the year for which the price is fixed.

The  average  Community  price  rose  slightly  in  the  period  2001-2003  compared  with  2000-
2002, although this trend reversed in the first six months of 2002. In the light of this market
situation, the Commission proposes maintaining the Community producer price for 2004 at its
current level.

2

 
Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

fixing for the 2004 fishing year the guide prices and Community producer prices
for certain fishery products pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 of 17 December 1999 on the common
organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products1, and in particular Article 18(3)
and Article 26(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1

2

Article 18(1) and Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 provide that a guide
price and a Community producer price should be fixed for each fishing year in order to
determine price levels for intervention on the market for certain fisheries products.

Article 18(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 requires the guide price to be fixed for
each  of  the  products  and  groups  of  products  listed  in  Annexes  I  and  II  to  that
Regulation.

On the  basis  of the data  currently  available on the  prices  for  the  products  concerned
and the criteria referred to in Article 18(2) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000, the guide
prices should be increased, maintained or reduced for the 2004 fishing year depending
on the species.

Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 requires the Community producer price to be fixed for
each of the products listed in Annex III to that Regulation. It is, however, sufficient to
establish  the  Community  producer  price  for  only  one  of  the  products  listed  in
Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 since the prices for the other products may
be  calculated  by  means  of  the  conversion  factors  established  by  Commission
Regulation (EEC) No 3510/822.

On the basis of  the  criteria laid  down  in  the  first  and  second  indent  of  Article  18(2)
and in Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000, the Community producer price
for the 2004 fishing year should be maintained,

OJ L 17, 21.1.2000, p. 22.
OJ  L  368,  28.12.1982,  p.  27.  Regulation  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3899/92
(OJ L 392, 31.12.1992, p. 24).

3

 
                                                
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

For the fishing year from 1 January to 31 December 2004, the guide prices as provided  for in
Article 18(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 shall be as set out in Annex I to this Regulation.

Article 2

For the fishing year from 1 January to 31 December 2004, the Community producer prices as
provided for in Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 shall be as set out in Annex II to
this Regulation.

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2004.

Article 3

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, […]

For the Council
The President

4

 
ANNEX I

Commercial presentation

Guide price
(EUR/tonne)

Whole fish
Whole fish
Whole fish or
Gutted fish with head
Whole fish or
Gutted fish with head
Whole fish
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish
Whole fish
Whole fish
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
from 1.1.2002 to 30.4.2002
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
from 1.5.2002 to 31.12.2002
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Whole fish
Gutted fish with head
Whole
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Without head
Simply boiled in water
Simply boiled in water
Fresh or chilled
Whole
Whole
Tails
Whole fish or gutted fish with head
Frozen, in original packages containing the
same products
Frozen, whole, in original packages containing
the same products
Frozen, filleted, in original packages
containing the same products
Frozen, in lots or in original packages
containing the same products
Frozen, whole, in original packages containing
the same products

Frozen,  in  original  packages  containing  the
same products
Frozen,  in  original  packages  containing  the
same products
Frozen,  in  original  packages  containing  the
same products
Frozen,  in  original  packages  containing  the
same products

Frozen,  in  original  packages  containing  the
same products

Frozen, in original packages containing the
same products
Frozen,  in  original  packages  containing  the
same products

267
581
1112

759

1177
1623
758
998
923
1201
308
311
1245
1079

1484

3713
2442
868
530
2210
2464
1637
2926
5898
2354
6344
1639
1766
5310
4279
6714
1956

1258

1499

1586

4019

2006

2098

1156

961

848

4035

8142

Annexes

Species
Products listed in Annexes I and II to Regulation (EC)
No 104/2000

I

1. Herring of the species Clupea harengus
2. Sardines of the species Sardina pilchardus
3. Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

4. Spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus spp.)

5. Redfish (Sebastes spp.)
6. Cod of the species Gadus morhua
7. Saithe (Pollachius virens)
8. Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)
9. Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
10. Ling (Molva spp.)
11. Mackerel of the species Scomber scombrus
12. Mackerel of the species Scomber japonicus
13. Anchovy (Engraulis spp.)
14. Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)

15. Hake of the species Merluccius merluccius
16. Megrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)
17. Dab (Limanda limanda)
18. Common flounder (Platichthys flesus)
19. Albacore or longfinned tunas (Thunnus alalunga)

20. Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis and Rossia macrosoma)
21. Monkfish (Lophius spp.)

22. Shrimp of the species Crangon crangon
23. Northern prawn (Pandalus borealis)

24. Edible crab (Cancer pagurus)
25. Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)

26. Sole (Solea spp.)
1. Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides)

II

2. Hake of the genus Merluccius spp.

3. Sea bream (Dentex dentex and Pagellus spp.)

4. Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)

5. Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) (Rossia macrosoma)
(Sepiola rondeletti)
6. Octopus (Octopus spp.)

7. Squid (Loligo spp.)

8. Squid (Ommastrephes sagittatus)

9. Illex argentinus

10. Prawn of the family Penaeidae
- Prawn of the species Parapenaeus longirostris

- Other species of the family Penaeidae

5

 
ANNEX II

Species
Products listed in
Annex III to Regulation
(EC) No 104/2000

Commercial specifications

Community producer price
(EUR/tonne)

Yellow-fin  tuna  (Thunnus
albacares)

Whole,  weighing  more  than  10  kg
each

1 207

The Community producer prices for the other products listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC)
No 104/2000 shall be determined by means of the conversion factors referred to in Regulation
(EEC) No 3510/82.

6

 
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

5.0

5.1

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

FISH/B/4
DATE: 16.10.2003

APPROPRIATIONS:

BUDGET HEADING:
B1-261
TITLE:
Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing for the 2004 fishing year the guide prices for the fishery
products listed in Annexes I and II and the Community producer price for the fishery products listed in
Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 104/2000
LEGAL BASIS:
Articles 18 and 26 of Regulation (EC) No 104/2000
AIM:
Annual fixing of prices and certain aids in the fisheries sector (2004 fishing year)
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

12 MONTH
PERIOD
(EUR million)

FINANCIAL YEAR
2004
(EUR million)
18,075

CHARGED TO THE EC BUDGET

NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
OTHER

EXPENDITURE
-
(REFUNDS/INTERVENTIONS)
-
-
REVENUE
-
(LEVIES/CUSTOMS DUTIES)
NATIONAL
-

OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC

5.0.1 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE
5.1.1 ESTIMATED REVENUE
5.2 METHOD OF CALCULATION:

[n+2]

[n+3]

[n+5]
Measures restricted to the 2004 fishing year
(16.10.2003– 15.10.2004)

[n+4]

- Community withdrawals: EUR 2,8 million
- Compensatory allowance for tuna: EUR 1,7 million
- Autonomous withdrawals and carry-overs: EUR 2,2 million
- Community carry-overs: EUR 4 million
- Private storage aid: EUR 0,35 million
- Operational programmes: EUR 6,8 million
- Technical assistance: EUR 0,225 million
CAN BE FUNDED BY APPROPRIATIONS INCLUDED IN RELEVANT
CHAPTER OF CURRENT BUDGET
CAN BE FUNDED BY TRANSFER BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF CURRENT
BUDGET

6.0

6.1

6.2 WILL A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET DE NECESSARY?
6.3 WILL APPROPRIATIONS NEED TO BE ENTERED IN FUTURE BUDGETS?
OBSERVATIONS:
Since this is a price-fixing measure, the impact on expenditure is indirect. The expenditure in question will
largely depend on developments in the market situation and on quantities landed.

NO
YES

7