91999E0299

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0299/99

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission

(17 February 1999)

Subject: Regulating fishing activity in the South-West Atlantic

Given the Commission's inadequate response to my Written Question E-3471/98, I reiterate what I wrote there and ask:

1. What is the current state of negotiations?

2. What are the reasons for the failure to make any significant progress in these negotiations

3. When does the Commission envisage the negotiations ending and the next step being taken, namely the setting-up of the SAFO?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 1999)

It is still too early to expect completion of negotiations on the multilateral arrangement for South-West Atlantic waters. Ongoing bilateral contacts between the Commission and Argentina are preliminary to multilateral negotiations between all interested parties.

At the moment the only addition that can be made to the Commission's answer to the Honourable Member's Written Question E-3471/98(1) is that in August 1998 the Commission sent the Argentine authorities a "non-paper" indicating the Community's position.

The Commission awaits the official reaction of the Argentine authorities to this document.

At an informal meeting between the Commission and the Argentine authorities on 2 March the latter stated that they intended to formulate a reply before the summer.

(1) OJ C 207, 21.7.1999, p. 74.