WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2422/97 by Daniel VARELA SUANZES- CARPEGNA to the Commission. Adoption by the Commission of the ICCAT recommendations
3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 102/37 How does the Commission view the possibility of promoting the construction of a railway line along the Via Ignatia starting from the port of Igoumenitsa and stretching as far as the Turkish border, which would also allow transport from the Middle East to pass through the port Volus, so as to give fresh impetus to trade in the Balkan region, a development which would undoubtably benefit EU interests in this area? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (23 September 1997) Investments in rail infrastructure in Greece part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund in the period 1994-99 focus on adding a second track to and electrifying the Athens-Thessaloniki line. Improvements to the Thessaloniki-Alexandroupoli line are also being part-financed. As regards the possible construction of a new link to Igoumenitsa to create a Via Ignatia railway lineí, in principle this should be examined and analysed with the Greek authorities when the dossiers for infrastructure investments to be part-financed in the period 2000-06 are prepared. (98/C 102/53) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2394/97 by Carmen Fraga Este·vez (PPE) to the Commission (10 July 1997) Subject: Adoption of commercial measures against Honduras and Panama concerning imports of bluefin tuna At its annual meeting in November 1996 ICCAT adopted a recommendation prohibiting the importation of bluefin tuna caught by Belize and Honduras. This recommendation, which is binding on the contracting parties, was backed by France, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom as members of ICCAT. Since commercial policy is the exclusive competence of the EC, the Member States affected by this obligation cannot implement it until the EC transposes the recommendation into a Community Regulation, which so far has not happened. Since the recommendation is due to enter into force this August, can the Commission say why it has not submitted a proposal for a Regulation and what those Member States which are contracting parties can do to comply with the obligations deriving from their membership of ICCAT? (98/C 102/54) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2422/97 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission (11 July 1997) Subject: Adoption by the Commission of the ICCAT recommendations At its last annual assembly the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) adopted a recommendation on banning imports of bluefin tuna from Honduras, Belize and Panama until those countries give proof that they are following the ICCATís recommendations. Why has the Commission not taken any steps in connection with those recommendations? When does the Commission intend to take such steps, bearing in mind that the deadline expires on 4 August 1997? When does the Commission intend to adopt the other measures decided on by the ICCAT in respect of bluefin tuna, such as the ban on using fishing lines in vessels over 24 m in length or the ban on the use of aircraft?