91998E3198

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3198/98

by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(27 October 1998)

Subject: Replies to the EU fisheries sector inquiry

It is public knowledge that some months ago, the Commission decided to carry out an inquiry involving various trade union and employers' organisations within the European Union's fisheries sector. Inter alia, the purpose of the inquiry was to sound out the EU's fishery sector on the policy guidelines to be followed from 2002 by the Common Fisheries Policy.

At the end of June, during a seminar held in Lisbon as part of Expo 98, the Commission's Director-General for Fisheries claimed that the replies received so far indicated strongly that the Member States wished to uphold their sovereign rights to access to fishery resources within their own territorial waters within a 12-mile exclusion zone, and even wished to extend the exclusion zone still further.

Given that the deadline for replies to the inquiry has now expired, and as far as I know, the general wish is that the 12-mile zone be maintained or extended, can the Commission tell me whether:

1. The overall tenor of the replies received does indeed confirm the claims made by the Commission's Director-General for Fisheries at the Lisbon seminar?

2. If so, what policy initiatives does the Commission intend to take in response, i.e. to ensure that the post 2002 Common Fisheries Policy continues to guarantee the 12 mile exclusion zone access rights for Member States within their own waters, and indeed to guarantee these exclusive rights in zones over 12 miles in extent?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 1998)

In general, the tenor of those replies to the questionnaire that the Commission presented at the Lisbon seminar and to which the Honourable Member refers was confirmed once all the replies were scrutinised. As regards the 6 or 12-mile limit in particular, a majority of the organisations that replied wanted it to be maintained. Only a minority sought its extension beyond 12 miles.

The Commission is committed to listening to those working in the sector and, as a result, will not take a position on the various issues involved until the consultation procedure has finished. It goes without saying that, at the proper time, any legislative proposal arising from this debate will be put before the Parliament for its opinion, in accordance with the legislation in force.