CELEX: 51997PC0688
Language: en
Date: 1997-12-12
Title: Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Estonian waters

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                        Brussels, 12.12.1997
                                        COM(97) 688 final
                        Proposal for a
              COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States
          for vessels fishing in Estonian waters
               (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                               EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Consultations between the Community and Estonia took place in Brussels on 3-4 November
1997 and resulted in an Agreed Record of conclusions defining a reciprocal fisheries
arrangement for 1998.
These consultations were held on the basis of the new Agreement on Fisheries Relations
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia, signed in Brussels on 19
December 1996.
The fisheries arrangement for 1998 provides for, inter alia, certain catch quotas for Community
vessels in the Estonian fishing zone in the framework of the exchange of fishing possibilities and
reciprocal access quotas.
The purpose of this proposal for a regulation is to allocate among Member States the quotas
available in 1998 to Community vessels fishing in the Estonian zone under the above mentioned
arrangement.
As a consequence of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European
Union, in particular Article 121, paragraph 1, footnote 9 of the table, Member States of the
Community, as constituted before enlargement, have been compensated for their lower share of
the cod stock up to the level required by the Council Declaration.
Estonia is compensated for the quotas obtained in its waters by way of a financial contribution of
ECU 465,467, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the
European Community and the Republic of Estonia.
 ---pagebreak---                                               Proposal for a
                           COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
                      allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States
                                  for vesselsfishingin Estonian waters
THE COUNCIL OF. THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a
Community system for fisheries and aquaculture , and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on fisheries relations
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia , and in particular Articles 3 and
6 thereof, the Community and Estonia have held consultations concerning their mutual fishing
rights for 1998 and the management of common living resources;
Whereas, in the course of these consultations, the delegations agreed to recommend to their
respective authorities that certain catch quotas for 1998 should be fixed for the vessels of the
other Party;
Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1998, the results of the
consultations held with Estonia;
Whereas to ensure efficient management of the catch possibilities available in Estonian waters,
quotas should be allocated among Member States in accordance with Article 8 of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92;
Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures
provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a
control system applicable to the common fisheries policy ;
Whereas additional conditions for the year-to-year management of TACs and quotas, in
accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/964,
were not agreed with Estonia;
        OJNo L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1 Regulation as amended by the 1994 Act of Accession
        OJ No L 332,20.12.1996, p. 16
        OJNo L 261,20.10.1993, p. 1
        OJNo L I 15, 9.5.1996, p. 3
                                                    t>
 ---pagebreak--- Whereas, for imperative reasons of common interest, this Regulation will apply from 1 January
1998,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
                                            Article 1
From 1 January to 31 December 1998 vessels flying the flag of a Member State are hereby
authorized to make catches within the quota limits set out in the Annex in waters falling within
thefisheriesjurisdiction of Estonia.
                                            Article 2
The financial contribution provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement on fisheries relations
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia shall be set for the period
referred to in Article 1 at ECU 465,467, payable to an account designated by Estonia.
                                            Article 3
Stocks referred to in the Annex shall not be subject to the conditions stipulated in Articles 2, 3
and 5 (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96.
                                            Article 4
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities. It shall apply from 1 January 1998.
        This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member
        States.
        Done at Brussels,.... December 1997.
                                                               For the Council
                                                               The President
                                                 r.
 ---pagebreak---                                           ANNEX
           Allocation of Community catch quotas in Estonian waters for 1998
       (in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish)
l^^SpedéSîé*v&                                                           £tasiâlIoc&ted
                       division                                          [ember States
     Cod                 111(d)                  763           Denmark                   •285
                                                               Finland                    120
                                                               Germany                    128
                                                               Sweden                    230
    Herring              111(d)                 3,000          Denmark                 1,430
                                                               Finland                      0
                                                               Germany                 1,070
                                                               Sweden                     500
    Salmon               111(d)                 5,400          Denmark                 2,100
                                                               Finland                 2,020
                                                               Germany                   235
                                                               Sweden                  1,045
     Sprat               111(d)                13,000          Denmark                 7,560
                                                              Finland                       0
                                                              Germany                 2,010
                                                               Sweden                 3,430
                                              S
 ---pagebreak---                     FINANCIAL STATEMENT
1. TITLE:         Proposal for a Council Regulation allocating for 1998 catch quotas
                  between Member States for vesselsfishingin Estonian waters.
2. BUDGETARY LINE CONCERNED:                      B7-800
3. LEGAL BASIS:           Article 8 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92
4. DESCRIPTION:
   4.1     General objectives:
           •      maintain and develop the traditional activity of Community fishermen in
                  Estonian waters;
                  supply the Community market; and
                  decrease the fishing effort in Community waters.
   4.2     Period covered:        Year 1998
5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE:
   5.1     DO
   5.2     CD
6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE:
   Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Estonian waters.
7. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES:                        ECU 465,467
   The financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has been
   negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1996 in Community ports in the
   Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs for each of
   the species.
                                             6
 ---pagebreak---         7.1      Method of calculation:
                                                                                            SPRAT
                                                                     llWfflMlilirrff^- v-¥
 Quota obtained (in tonnes)              1,100              27              3,000            13,000
                                                      (5,400 units)
 Weighted average landing prices          908             2,284             166.81           84.75
 1996 (ECU/tonne)
 Market value (in ECUs)                 998,800          61,668            500,430         1,101,750
 Negotiated (percentage)                 25%              25%               12.5%            12.5%
 In ECUs                                249,700          15,417             62,550          137,800
                       Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 465,467
                                  Average price ECU/tonne: 27.18
8.      ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS:
        Thefinancialcontribution granted by the Community is utilised by Estonia to develop its
        fisheries sector in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement. The amount is
        administered by the Estonian Fisheries Fund.
9.      ELEMENTS OF COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS:
        The Community fleet in the Baltic Sea has been severely hit by reductions in catch
        possibilities, mainly due to biological factors (low salinity of the water and the M-74
        disease) and pollution of the water. Any increase in fishing possibilities above current
        critical catch levels will contribute towards preventing the fleet, and connected industries
        and services ashore, from collapsing and disappearing. This will also avoid, to a certain
        extent, payments under lay-up schemes or social programmes.
        Experience has taught us that the financial compensation, similar to that paid in 1997,
        has mainly been used by Estonia for the continued improvement of scientific research on
        fisheries and the training of fisheries managers. This has entailed improved scientific
        assessment and enforcement in the fishery zone of Estonia and has contributed to a more
        rational exploitation of the stocks, to the benefit of all concerned in the Baltic Sea.
        The expenses proposed are foreseen in the budgetary planning for the period concerned.
10.     ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:
        The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs.
                                                 y
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                       ISSN 0254-1475
                                                                COM(97) 688 final
                                               DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                03 04   05   10
                                   Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-710-EN-C
                                                                 ISBN 92-78-29094-7
Office for Officii Publications of the E u r o p e Couiiiiuniuca
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