WRITTEN QUESTION E-2309/99 by Carmen Fraga Estévez (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Imports of products under tariff heading 1604.14.00.
8. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 225 E/95 (2000/C 225 E/094) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2309/99 by Carmen Fraga EstØvez (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Imports of products under tariff heading 1604. 14. 00 (13 December 1999) The Thai authorities have asked to be allowed to export 8 000 tonnes of tuna fillets to the European Union through the opening up of a separate quota for the products included under tariff heading 1604. 14. 00. The Community tuna fillet market may, however, be considered to be adequately supplied from Community internal production and imports from the Andean Pact and ACP countries covered by the GSP. If necessary the quotas for those sources may be increased, for which reason there is no need to seek supplies from other countries. Furthermore, tariff heading 1604. 14. 00 includes tinned tuna, hence any opening up of the quota as requested by Thailand would seriously affect Community producers of tinned tuna and tuna fillets and also the industries of the Andean Pact and ACP countries. In the light of above, would the Commission say what its intentions are with regard to the request submitted by Thailand? When is the Commission going to submit the study which it promised the Council it would carry out into the actual figures for Community tuna fillet production and actual supply requirements? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (14 January 2000) The request by the Thai authorities to which the Honourable Member refers was sent, according to the information received by the Commission, to a trade association representing the European fish industry. The Commission could under no circumstances take an initiative on the basis of a document which was not addressed to it. In addition to that, the Commission, when drawing up its proposals on the opening and management of autonomous tariff quotas, only considers requests which are sent to it by the Member States. As mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Commission has committed itself to carrying out a study on the supply of tuna fillets to the Community market in the short and medium term. The commitment entered into by the Commission specified that this study has to be completed before the end of 1999. The Commission will forward the study to the Council within the deadline set. (2000/C 225 E/095) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2310/99 by Carmen Fraga EstØvez (PPE-DE) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Exports of tuna fillets to the EU The Thai authorities have recently asked the European Union to open a new quota to allow 8 000 tonnes of products to be imported under tariff heading 1604. 14. 00 (tinned tuna and tuna fillets). The Community tuna fillet market may, however, be considered to be adequately supplied from Community internal production and imports from the Andean Pact and ACP countries covered by the GSP. If necessary the quotas for those sources may be increased, for which reason there is no need to seek supplies from other countries. As has been demonstrated in recent months, both Community industries and, if necessary, the industries of GSP countries can supply tuna fillets to Community processors at international market prices, for which reason it is very difficult to understand why there should be any need to open a new quota for products from Thailand. In the light of the above, would the Commission supply: ü a list of Thai companies which have exported tuna fillets to the EU under the last two quotas opened;