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) 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. Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in 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 LI 15, 9. 5. 1996, p. 3 t> 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 the fisheries jurisdiction 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. 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& Cod division 111(d) 763 Herring 111(d) 3,000 Salmon 111(d) 5,400 Sprat 111(d) 13,000 £tasiâlIoc&ted [ember States Denmark Finland Germany Sweden Denmark Finland Germany Sweden Denmark Finland Germany Sweden Denmark Finland Germany Sweden •285 120 128 230 1,430 0 1,070 500 2,100 2,020 235 1,045 7,560 0 2,010 3,430 S FINANCIAL STATEMENT 1. TITLE: Proposal for a Council Regulation allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in 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 7. 1 Method of calculation: Quota obtained (in tonnes) Weighted average landing prices 1996 (ECU/tonne) Market value (in ECUs) Negotiated (percentage) In ECUs 1,100 908 998,800 25% 249,700 llWfflMlilirrff^- v-¥ 3,000 SPRAT 13,000 27 (5,400 units) 2,284 166. 81 84. 75 61,668 25% 15,417 500,430 1,101,750 12. 5% 62,550 12. 5% 137,800 Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 465,467 Average price ECU/tonne: 27. 18 8. ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: The financial contribution 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 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 pe Couiiiiuniuca •L-2985 Luxembcuru I