WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2972/97 by Robert STURDY to the Commission. Regulation of cormorant populations in the EU
C 117/118 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 4. 98 (98/C 117/149) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2971/97 by Michael Hindley (PSE) to the Commission (17 September 1997) Subject: Gulf Cooperation Council Delegation Given the enormous importance of our trade with the GCC states, does the Commission have any intention to set up a delegation in the GCC states? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (27 ctober 1997) The Commission keeps its network of delegations under constant review. The Commission is fully aware of the growing importance of the relations between the Community and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States. In this context, the opening of a delegation in Riyadh remains one of the Commissionís objectives. However, no new delegation can be opened without the necessary resources being made available, either by redeployment of existing resources or by budgetary reinforcement. (98/C 117/150) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2972/97 by Robert Sturdy (PPE) to the Commission (17 September 1997) Subject: Regulation of cormorant populations in the EU The European Commission has removed the Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis from Annex I to Directive 79/409/EEC (1). This decision has freed Member States from taking special measures to conserve its habitat. Serious damage to fish stocks from growing inland cormorant populations, highlighted in Parliamentís Resolution B4-0138/96 (2), will continue. Despite a now very favourable conservation status, the necessary national regulation of cormorant populations is still restricted by the conditions governing derogations under the Bird Conservation Directive. Mrs Bjerregaard told Mr Moscovici on 19 November 1996 that the Commission has been monitoring work, initiated in Denmark and the Netherlands under the Bonn Convention, on an international management plan for the species Phalacrocorax carbo. What action is foreseen to implement such a plan, and will it include measures in respect of the British subspecies Phalacrocorax carbo carbo? Should both types of cormorant now be added to Annex II to the Bird Conservation Directive as an urgent interim measure to reduce further damage to fish stocks by facilitating regulation by Member States, in the interest of ecological balance (Article 7(4) of the Directive)? (1) OJ L 103, 25. 4. 1979, p. 1. (2) OJ C 65, 4. 3. 1996, p. 158. Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (16 October 1997) The international management plan for the great cormorant, being prepared at the initiative of Denmark and the Netherlands, is yet not complete. According to recommendation 5. 3. adopted in the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on migratory species (Bonn Convention) in April 1997, this work should be finalized before the end of 1997, and should focus initially on the subspecies phalacrocorax carbo sinensis. Management actions taken by the Member States should comply with the provisions of Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds (1). In this context, the Commission will continue to encourage cooperation and solidarity between Member States, particularly within the framework of the ORNISí committee established under Article 16 of this Directive