CELEX: 51999PC0581
Language: en
Date: 1999-11-12
Title: Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 for the 2000 fishing year

EN ---pagebreak---                COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                  Brussels, 12.11.1999
                                                  COM(1999) 581 final
                                     Proposal for a
                             COUNCIL REGULATION
fixing the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) of
               Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 for the 2000 fishing year
                            (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---                               EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
The purpose of this regulation is to fix the guide prices for 2000 for the products in Annex
I(A), (D) and (E) to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 on the common organisation of
the market in fishery products. Article 9 of the Regulation provides that a guide price is to be
fixed annually for each of these products on the basis of the average of prices recorded on
representative wholesale markets or in representative ports during the three fishing years
immediately preceding the year for which the price is fixed. Account is also to be taken of the
production and demand prospects and other criteria relating to the stabilisation of market
prices, support for producers’ incomes and consumers’ interests.
Over the period 1997 to 1999 compared to 1996-98, the average prices for whitefish have
been improving significantly, with increases ranging from +2% to +18%, except sole (0%)
and dab (-4%). Whitefish prices have been higher in the first six months of 1999 than they
were in the first half of 1998, except for coalfish, redfish and sole. In view of this favourable
market situation, the Commission is proposing increases in the guide price of between 1% and
2% for most whitefish species with the exception of dab, common flounder and sole for which
the Commission recommends no change.
With regard to pelagic species, the change in average prices over 1997-99 compared to
1996-98 ranged from -7% to +14%: whilst the prices for sardines and Spanish mackerel have
been increasing, the situation for herring, mackerel, anchovy and albacore tuna has
deteriorated, particularly over the shorter term. The Commission is therefore proposing to
reduce the guide price significantly for these species, except for albacore tuna and Spanish
mackerel (no change is recommended) and for sardines (an increase of 2% is advised).
As regards the other species in Annex I, the Commission is proposing to increase the guide
price for shrimps, whole lobster and Norway prawns and to keep the existing guide price for
edible crabs, lobster tails, cuttlefish and cooked Norway prawns.
In summary, the Commission proposes:
-       to lower the guide price for herring by 4%, for mackerel by 3%, and for anchovy by
        2%;
-       to maintain in 2000 the guide prices for 1999 for Spanish mackerel, edible crab,
        lobster tails, dab, common flounder, albacore tuna (whole and gutted), cuttlefish, sole
        and cooked Norway prawns; and
-       to raise the guide price for spotted dogfish, redfish, haddock, whiting, plaice, megrim,
        whole lobster and fresh Norway prawns by 1%, for cod and coalfish by 1.5% and for
        sardines, dogfish, ling, hake, Ray’s bream, monkfish (whole and headed) and shrimps
        by 2%.
                                                 2
 ---pagebreak---                                             Proposal for a
                                       COUNCIL REGULATION
      fixing the guide prices for the fishery products listed in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) of
                       Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 for the 2000 fishing year
  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
  Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
  Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 of 17 December 1992 on the common
  organization of the market in fishery and aquaculture products 1, as amended by Regulation
  (EEC) No 3318/94 2, and in particular Article 9 (3) thereof,
  Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
  Whereas:
  (1)     Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 provides that a guide price shall be
          fixed for each fishing year for each of the products or groups of products listed in
          Annex I (A), (D) and (E) to that Regulation ;
  (2)     According to the data available at present concerning prices for the products in
          question and the criteria laid down in Article 9 (2),of that Regulation, these prices
          should be increased, maintained or decrease0 according to the species for the 2000
          fishing year,
  HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
                                              Article 1
  The guide prices for the fishing year from 1 January to 31 December 2000 for the products listed
  in Annex I (A), (D) and (E) to Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 and the commercial categories to
  which they relate are fixed in the Annex hereto.
1
       OJ No L 388, 31.12.1992, p. 1.
2
       OJ No L 350, 31.12.1994, p. 15.
                                                   3
 ---pagebreak---                                              Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2000.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels,
                                               For the Council
                                               The President
                                                 4
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 ANNEX I
                                                                           Commercial specifications (1)
                       Species                                                                                                   Guide price
                                                                                                                              (EURO/tonne)
                                                          Freshness        Size            Presentation
                                                       category
  1. Herrings of the species                          Extra, A             1               Whole fish                         259
  Clupea harengus
  2. Sardines of the species                          Extra                3               Whole fish                         542
  Sardina pilchardus
  3. Picked dogfish                                   Extra, A             2               Whole fish                         ) 1068
  (Squalus acanthias)                                                                      Gutted fish with head              )
  4. Catshanks (Scyliorhinus spp.)                    Extra, A             1               Whole fish                         ) 814
                                                                                           Gutted fish with head              )
  5. Redfish (Sebastes spp.)                          A                    2               Whole fish                         1154
  6. Cod of the species Gadus morhua                  A                    2               Gutted fish with head              )
                                                      or                                                                      ) 1529
                                                      A                    3               Gutted fish with head              )
  7. Coalfish (Pollachius virens)                     A                    2               Gutted fish with head              )
                                                      or                                                                      ) 782
                                                      A                    3               Gutted fish with head              )
  8. Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)               A                    2               Gutted fish with head              )
                                                      or                                                                      ) 1036
                                                      A                    3               Gutted fish with head              )
  9. Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)                   A                    2               Gutted fish with head              )
                                                      or                                                                      ) 902
                                                      A                    3               Gutted fish with head              )
  10. Ling (Molva spp.)                               Extra, A             1, 2            Gutted fish with head               1173
  11. Mackerel of the species                         Extra                1               Whole fish                         )
  Scomber scombrus                                    or                                                                      ) 285
                                                      A                    2               Whole fish                         )
  12. Mackerel of the species                         Extra                1               Whole fish                         )
  Scomber japonicus                                   or
                                                      A                    2               Whole fish                         ) 301
  13. Anchovies (Engraulis spp.)                      Extra                2               Whole fish                          1167
  14. Plaice                                          A                    2               Gutted fish with head              from 1.1.2000
  (Pleuronectes platessa)                             or                                                                      until 30.4.2000 :
                                                      A                    3               Gutted fish with head              1052
                                                                                                                              from 1.5.2000
                                                                                                                              until
                                                                                                                              31.12.2000:
                                                                                                                              1448
  15. Hake of the species                             A                    1               Gutted fish with head              3732
  Merluccius merluccius
  16. Megrim (Lepidorhombus spp.)                     Extra, A             1, 2            Whole fish, gutted fish with head  2358
  17. Ray's bream (Brama spp.)                        Extra, A             1               Whole fish                         1836
  18. Monkfish (Lophius spp.)                         Extra, A             2, 3            Whole, or gutted with head         2771
                                                                                           Without head
                                                      Extra, A             2, 3                                               5725
  19. Shrimps of the species                          A                    1               Simply boiled in water             2405
  Crangon crangon
  20. Edible crab (Cancer pagurus)                    -                    1               Whole                              1749
  21. Norway lobster                                  E, A                 1, 2            Whole                              5284
  (Nephrops norvegicus)
                                                      E, A                 2               Tails                              4345
  22. Dab                                             Extra, A             1               Gutted fish with head              932
  (Limanda limanda)
  23. Flounder                                        Extra, A             1               Gutted fish with head              558
  (Platichthys flesus)
  24. Albacore or longfinned tuna                     Extra, A             1               Whole fish                         2145
  (Thunnus alalunga)                                                       1               Gutted fish with head              2452
  25. Cuttlefish                                      Extra, A             1, 2            Whole                              1605
  (Sepia officinalis and
   Rossia macrosoma)
  26. Sole                                            Extra, A             2, 3            Gutted fish with head              6453
  (Solea spp.)
  27. Deep-water prawns (Pandalus Borealis)           A                    1               Simply boiled in water             6387
                                                      A                    1               Fresh or chilled                   1690
(1)         The freshness categories, sizes and presentation are defined pursuant to Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92
                                                                       5
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                           FISH-A-4
              FINANCIAL STATEMENT
                                                                                          DATE: 26.10.99
1.     BUDGET HEADING: B1-261                                                             APPROPRIATIONS:
2.     TITLE: Three proposals for Council Regulations fixing the guide prices for fishery products (Annex I,
       A,D and E, Annex II to Regulation (EEC) NO. 3759/92) and the Community producer price for tuna
       (Annex III)
3.     LEGAL BASIS: Articles 9 and 17 of Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92
4.     AIMS: Annual fixing of prices in the fisheries sector (2000 fishing year)
5.     FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS                             12 MONTH          FINANCIAL           FOLLOWING
                                                           PERIOD              YEAR              FINANCIAL
                                                                                 2000               YEAR
                                                        (EUR million)      (EUR million)        (EUR million)
5.0    EXPENDITURE                                                                14
       -         CHARGED TO THE EC BUDGET
       (REFUNDS/INTERVENTIONS)
       -         NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
       -         OTHER
5.1    REVENUE
       -         OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC
       (LEVIES/CUSTOMS DUTIES)
       -         NATIONAL
5.0.1 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE                              Measures restricted to the 2000 fishing year (16.10.99-
5.1.1 ESTIMATED REVENUE                                                       15.10.2000)
5.2    METHOD OF CALCULATION:
       - Community withdrawals :                       Euro 6,0 million
       - Compensatory allowance for tuna               Euro 3,5 million
       - Autonomous withdrawals and carry-overs        Euro 2,5 million
       - Community carry-overs                         Euro 1,5 million
       - Private storage aid :                         Euro 0,5 million
6.0    CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED FROM APPROPRIATIONS ENTERED IN THE
       RELEVANT CHAPTER OF THE CURRENT BUDGET?
6.1    CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED BY TRANSFER BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF
       THE CURRENT BUDGET?
6.2    WILL A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET BE NECESSARY?                                                         NO
6.3    WILL APPROPRIATIONS NEED TO BE ENTERED IN FUTURE BUDGETS?                                        YES
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.
                                                        6