do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2209/2003 of 17 December 2003 prohibiting fishing for common sole by vessels flying the flag of Belgium
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, fishing area, fishing rights, sea fish, ship's flag

L 330/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.12.2003

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2209/2003

of 17 December 2003

prohibiting fishing for common sole by vessels flying the flag of Belgium

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12
October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the
common fisheries policy (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 806/2003 (2), and in particular Article 21(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Council Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 of 20 December
2002 fixing for 2003 the fishing opportunities and asso-
ciated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of
fish stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for
Community vessels, in waters where limitations in catch
are required (3), as last amended by Commission Regu-
lation (EC) No 1754/2003 (4),
lays down quotas for
common sole for 2003.

In order
to ensure compliance with the provisions
relating to the quantity limits on catches of stocks
subject to quotas, the Commission must fix the date by
which catches made by vessels flying the flag of a
Member State are deemed to have exhausted the quota
allocated.

According to the information received by the Commis-
sion, catches of common sole in the waters of ICES divi-
sions VIIf,g, by vessels flying the flag of Belgium or regis-

tered in Belgium have exhausted the quota allocated for
2003. Belgium has prohibited fishing for this stock from
6 December 2003. This date should be adopted in this
Regulation also,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Catches of common sole in the waters of ICES divisions VIIf,g,
by vessels flying the flag of Belgium or registered in Belgium
are hereby deemed to have exhausted the quota allocated to
Belgium for 2003.

Fishing for common sole in the waters of ICES divisions VIIf,g,
by vessels flying the flag of Belgium or registered in Belgium is
hereby prohibited, as are the retention on board, transhipment
and landing of this stock caught by the above vessels after the
date of application of this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 6 December 2003.

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

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2003.

For the Commission

Jörgen HOLMQUIST

Director-General for Fisheries

(1) OJ L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 356, 31.12.2002, p. 12.
(4) OJ L 252, 4.10.2003, p. 1.
Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.3341 — Koch/Invista) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: chemical industry, economic concentration, exchange of information, merger control, oil industry, textile industry

C 307/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.12.2003

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3341 — Koch/Invista)

(2003/C 307/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

1.
On 8 December 2003 the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to
Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97 (2),
by which the undertaking Koch Industries, Inc. (‘Koch’, USA) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b)
of the Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Invista, Inc. (‘Invista’, USA) previously controlled
by the undertaking E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (‘DuPont’, USA) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

— Koch: Active worldwide mainly in the areas of petroleum products, natural gas liquids, chemicals and

construction materials,

— Invista: Formerly known as DuPont textiles and Interiors. It is composed of the worldwide man-made

fibre businesses of DuPont,

— DuPont: Chemical products, plastics, agro-chemicals and other materials.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified concentration could fall within

3.
the scope of Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit

4.
proposed operation.

their possible observations on the

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication.
Observations can be sent by fax (No (32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference
COMP/M.3341 — Koch/Invista, to:

European Commission,
Directorate-General for Competition,
Merger Registry,
J-70,
B-1049 Brussels.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 257, 21.9.1990, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 1; corrigendum: OJ L 40, 13.2.1998, p. 17.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3897/03 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Unsustainable fishery by-catches.
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: UN specialised agency, by-catch, fishing fleet, fishing industry, fishing regulations, sustainable development

C 84 E/260

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

the results of the projects be exploited commercially or used in further research,

Concerning the funding obtained from the Framework Programmes, the provisions of FP5 contracts
required that
in
accordance with the interests of
the Community and in compliance with international agreements
concluded with the Community. Although under the Sixth Framework Programme the contract requires
contractors to use the results in accordance with their interests, the Community can object to any transfer
of ownership or provision of access rights to third parties if such a transfer is not in accordance with the
interests of developing the competitiveness of the dynamic, knowledge-based European economy or is
inconsistent with ethical principles.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds,

OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0307)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3897/03

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject: Unsustainable fishery by-catches

Have proposals for a requirement for fishing fleets across the world to make use of the latest by-catch
exclusion technology been put to the UN Committee on Fisheries (COFI) by EU Member States? What, if
any, coordination took place between Member States prior to making such submissions?

What role will the Commission play in coordinating proposals by EU Member States to the next meeting
of the UN Committee on Fisheries (COFI) for the use by fishing fleets across the world of by-catch
exclusion technology?

What will be the timetable for the submission and coordination of such proposals?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 2004)

According to information available to the Commission, no Member State has made any approach in
connection with utilisation of by-catch exclusion technology by fleets worldwide to the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in preparation for the next COFI Session in 2005.

This is in any case a matter where authority to act belongs to the Community alone and any approach
would have to be made by the Commission following definition of a Community line of action with the
Council.

As we have already indicated in our reply to the Honourable Member’s Written Question No 3359/03 (1),
although the subject definitely merits attention the resources at present available to the Commission are
such that it is unlikely, given the CFP priorities already set for 2004, that such an initiative could be
mounted. For the Commission to be able to ask for a proposal to be put on the agenda for the next COFI
it would have to be prepared before this summer along with all the technical and financial background
information needed to make FAO acceptance likely.

(1) See page 59.
Euro exchange rates
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: euro, exchange rate

17.12.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 307/1

I

(Information)

COMMISSION

Euro exchange rates (1)

16 December 2003

(2003/C 307/01)

1 euro =

USD

JPY

DKK

GBP

SEK

CHF

ISK

NOK

BGN

CYP

CZK

EEK

HUF

LTL

Currency

US dollar

Japanese yen

Danish krone

Pound sterling

Swedish krona

Swiss franc

Iceland króna

Norwegian krone

Bulgarian lev

Cyprus pound

Czech koruna

Estonian kroon

Hungarian forint

Lithuanian litas

Exchange
rate

1,2339

132,74

7,4425

0,7062

9,04

1,5529

90,19

8,222

1,9528

LVL

MTL

PLN

ROL

SIT

SKK

TRL

AUD

CAD

Currency

Latvian lats

Maltese lira

Polish zloty

Romanian leu

Slovenian tolar

Slovak koruna

Turkish lira

Australian dollar

Canadian dollar

0,58421

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

32,263

NZD

New Zealand dollar

15,6466

SGD

Singapore dollar

Exchange
rate

0,6653

0,431

4,6493

40 722

236,67

41,162

1 760 184

1,657

1,6278

9,5787

1,8934

2,1054

264,35

KRW

South Korean won

1 467,91

3,4523

ZAR

South African rand

7,7856

___________
(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3900/03 by Giacomo Santini (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Trieste-Divaca rail link.
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Italy, Slovenia, common transport policy, cross-border transport, eligibility criteria, rail transport, trans-European network

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/261

(2004/C 84 E/0308)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3900/03

by Giacomo Santini (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject: Trieste-Divaca rail link

Under Commission proposal (1) of 1 October 2003 on Community guidelines for the development of the
trans-European transport network and the funding thereof, the Trieste-Divaca rail link is not considered to
be a cross-border link, despite forming part of priority project No 6.

Only ‘cross-border’ projects are eligible for Community grants amounting to 30 % of the overall cost and,
should this position be confirmed, the Trieste-Divaca link would lose out on a considerable amount of
Community financial support.

1. Would the Commission agree that the decision not to include the Trieste-Divaca link among the
cross-border projects goes against the interests of Community citizens by affecting the amount of financial
support to be provided?

2.
Given that the Trieste-Divaca link forms part of the Lyon-Trieste/Koper-Ljubljana-Divaca-Budapest
line, what other characteristics does it require in order to be designated a ‘cross-border’ link and included
in the list of cross-border projects?

(1) COM(2003) 564.

(2004/C 84 E/0309)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3968/03

by Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 January 2004)

Subject: Trans-European transport network

In the recent Commission documents concerning the Community guidelines for the development of the
trans-European transport network (1), the Trieste-Divaca railway line, which is part of Community project
No 6 (Lyon-Trieste/Koper-Ljubljana-Divaca-Budapest mixed rail line) is not awarded the status of a cross-
border section.

Under the Community guidelines, only cross-border projects will be eligible to receive non-reimbursable
Community funding equivalent to 30 % of total costs. Therefore, should this status be confirmed, the
Trieste-Divaca section would be excluded from European financial assistance with that scope.

This is a complex project spanning the border between Italy and Slovenia, and EU financial assistance is
essential. The decision not to view this section as a cross-border section could impact on the scale of EU
financial assistance for carrying out the project, which would be detrimental to Italian interests.

Is it true that, unlike the international
lines under priority project No 17, which is to say the Paris-
Strasbourg-Stuttgart-Vienna-Bratislava railway axis, the Trieste-Divaca line will not be eligible to receive
30 % non-reimbursable Community funding? If so, why not?

(1) COM(2003) 564 final.
2003/901/EC: Council Decision of 17 December 2003 on the signing and provisional application of bilateral agreements between the European Community and certain third countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan) on trade in textile products
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, bilateral agreement, textile product, trade agreement (EU)

L 340/54

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.12.2003

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 17 December 2003

on the signing and provisional application of bilateral agreements between the European Com-
munity and certain third countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan) on trade
in textile products

(2003/901/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 133, in conjunction with
the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2)
thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The Commission has negotiated, on behalf of the Com-
munity, bilateral agreements to extend the existing bilat-
eral agreements on trade in textile products with certain
third countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and
Turkmenistan).

Subject to their possible conclusion at a later date, the
agreements should be signed on behalf of the Com-
munity.

It is appropriate to apply these agreements on a provi-
sional basis as from 1 January 2004, pending the
completion of the relevant procedures for its conclusion,
subject to reciprocity,

Article 1

Subject to possible conclusion at a later date, the President of
the Council
is hereby authorised to designate the persons
empowered to sign on behalf of the European Community the
agreements on trade in textile products between the European
Community and certain third countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakh-
stan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan).

Article 2

Subject to reciprocity, the agreements referred to in Article 1
shall be applied on a provisional basis as from 1 January 2004
pending the completion of the procedures for its conclusion.

The texts of the agreements are attached to this Decision.

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. ALEMANNO
2003/912/EC: Council Decision of 17 December 2003 amending Decision 95/408/EC on the conditions for drawing up, for an interim period, provisional lists of third-country establishments from which Member States are authorised to import certain products of animal origin, fishery products or live bivalve molluscs, as regards the extension of its validity
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: fishery product, health control, import, mollusc, third country

L 345/112

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

31.12.2003

COUNCIL DECISION

of 17 December 2003

amending Decision 95/408/EC on the conditions for drawing up, for an interim period, provisional
lists of third-country establishments from which Member States are authorised to import certain
products of animal origin, fishery products or live bivalve molluscs, as regards the extension of its
validity

(2003/912/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to Council Decision 95/408/EC of 22 June 1995
on the conditions for drawing up, for an interim period, provi-
sional lists of third-country establishments from which Member
States are authorised to import certain products of animal
origin, fishery products or live bivalve molluscs (1), and in par-
ticular Article 9 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Decision 95/408/EC expires on 31 December 2003.

The Commission proposal for a regulation of the Euro-
pean Parliament and of the Council laying down detailed
rules for the organisation of official controls on products
of animal origin intended for human consumption (2)
(the Regulation for the organisation of official controls)
provides for a new procedure for drawing up lists of
establishments in third countries intended to replace the
rules laid down in Decision 95/408/EC.

The validity of Decision 95/408/EC should be extended
to bridge the gap between the expiry of that Decision
and the entry into force of the Regulation for the organi-
sation of official controls.

(4)

Decision 95/408/EC should therefore be
accordingly,

amended

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

In Article 9 of Decision 95/408/EC ‘31 December 2003’ shall
be replaced by ‘31 December 2005’.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. ALEMANNO

(1) OJ L 243, 11.10.1995, p. 17. Decision as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1).

(2) OJ C 262 E, 29.10.2002, p. 449.
Council Regulation (EC) No 2320/2003 of 17 December 2003 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 on the common organisation of the market in hops
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: common organisation of markets, hops

L 345/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

31.12.2003

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2320/2003

of 17 December 2003

amending Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 on the common organisation of the market in hops

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(3)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com-
munity, and in particular the third subparagraph of Article
37(2),

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),

A producer group can withhold up to 20 % of the aid to
finance special measures for adjusting to the market and
the amounts withheld can accumulate for a period of
three years. As it is proposed to extend the aid scheme
for a year, the maximum accumulation period should
also be extended for a year.

(4)

Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 should be amended as a
result,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and
Social Committee (2),

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions,

Article 1

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Article 12(5)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 (3) fixes
the aid per hectare for hops produced in the Community
for a period of eight years, from the 1996 to the 2003
harvests.

The assessment report that the Commission is obliged to
present to the Council by 31 December 2003 pursuant
to the second paragraph of Article 18 of Regulation
(EEC) No 1696/71, will cover all provisions relating to
the common organisation of the market,
in particular
the production aid scheme. That assessment can be
accompanied by proposals. It is advisable in this context
to provide for a detailed debate of the entire sector. In
order to ensure a thorough debate, the period for which
the aid has been fixed should be extended by one year.

Article 12(5) of Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 is hereby
amended as follows:

1. point (a) is replaced by the following:

‘(a) The aid per hectare shall be the same for all groups of
varieties. For nine years from the 1996 harvest it shall
amount to EUR 480/ha.’

2. point (d) is replaced by the following:

‘(d) The aid withheld may be accumulated for a maximum
period of four years; at the end of that period all aid
withheld must have been spent.’

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

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

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. ALEMANNO

(1) Opinion delivered on 18 November 2003 (not yet published in the

Official Journal).

(2) Opinion of 10 December 2003 (not yet published in the Official

Journal).

(3) OJ L 175, 4.8.1971, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 1514/2001 (OJ L 201, 26.7.2001, p. 8).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2208/2003 of 17 December 2003 amending Regulation (EEC) No 2921/90 on aid for the production of casein and caseinates from skimmed milk
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, milk by-product, product quality, skimmed milk

18.12.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 330/19

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2208/2003

of 17 December 2003

amending Regulation (EEC) No 2921/90 on aid for the production of casein and caseinates from
skimmed milk

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17
May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk
and milk products (1), and in particular Article 15 thereof,

(2)

The Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products
has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by
its chairman,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Whereas:

(1)

Article 2(1) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2921/
90 (2) sets the aid for skimmed milk processed into
casein or caseinates. Given the change in the market
price for casein and caseinates on the Community and
world markets, the aid should be decreased.

In Article 2(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2921/90, ‘EUR 6,70’ is
hereby replaced by ‘EUR 6,30’.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

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

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2003.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48; Regulation as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 1787/2003 (OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 121).

(2) OJ L 279, 11.10.1990, p. 22; Regulation as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 785/2003 (OJ L 115, 9.5.2003, p. 15).
Reference/discount rates applicable from 1 January 2004
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, State aid, aid system, aid to undertakings, loan, small and medium-sized enterprises

17.12.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 307/11

Reference/discount rates applicable from 1 January 2004

(2003/C 307/05)

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

4,43 %

4,58 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

4,43 %

5,30 %

5,68 %

These rates are fixed on the basis of the method for setting and updating the reference/discount rates
published in Official Journal of the European Communities C 273, 9.9.1997, p. 3. Technical adaptations to this
method were made by Commission notice published in Official Journal of the European Communities C 241,
26.8.1999, p. 9.