Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) of ... December 1998 allocating for 1999 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Estonian waters
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 30. 11. 1998 COM(1998) 685 final Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) of. December 1998 allocating for 1999 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 Tallinn on 19-20 October 1998 and resulted in an Agreed Record of conclusions defining a reciprocal fisheries arrangement for 1999. These consultations were held on the basis of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia, signed in Brussels on 19 December 1996. The fisheries arrangement for 1999 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 1999 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 519,000, 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) No / 99 of. December 1998 allocating for 1999 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 aquaculture1, 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 Estonia2, and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Estonia have held consultations concerning their mutual fishing rights for 1999 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 1999 should be fixed for the vessels of the other Party; Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1999, 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 policy3; 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; OJ No L 389,31. 12. 1992, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) n° 1181/98 (OJ No L OJ No L 332, 20. 12. 1996, p. 16 OJ No L 261,20. 10. 1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) n° 2205/97 (OJ No L 304, 1 164, 9. 6. 1998, p. 1). 2 3 7. 11. 1997, p. 1). 4 OJNoL 115,9. 5. 1996, p. 3 3 Whereas, for imperative reasons of common interest, this Regulation will apply from 1 January 1999, IIAS ADOPTED TlIIS REGULATION: Article 1 From 1 January to 31 December 1999 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 519,000, 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 forcé on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 January 1999. This Regulation shaH be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels,. December 1998. For the Council The President 9 ANNEX Allocation of Community catch quotas in Estonian waters for 1999 (in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish) Species Cod ICES division 111(d) Community catch quotas 500 • Herring Ill(d) 3,000 Salmon 111(d) 6,750 Sprat 111(d) 13,000 ' I Quotas allocated to Member States Denmark Finland Germany Sweden Denmark Finland Germany Sweden Denmark Finland Germany Sweden Denmark Finland Germany Sweden 186 80 84 150 1,431 0 1,073 496 2,626 2,526 292 1,306 7,560 0 2,010 3,430 S FINANCIAL STATEMENT 1. TITLE: Proposal for a Council Regulation-allocating for 1999 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 1999 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 519,000 The financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has been negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1997 in Community ports in the Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs for each of the species. 4 7. 1 Method of calculation: Quota obtained (in tonnes) Weighted average landing prices 1997(ECU/tonne) Market value (in ECUs) Negotiated (percentage) In ECUs COD 1,000' 1,096 7 1,096,000 25% 274,000 SALMON HERRING SPRAT 33. 75 (6,750 units) 3,000 13,000 2,397 166 100 80,899 25% 20,250 498,000 1,300,000 12. 5% 62,250 12. 5% 162,500 1 500 tons allocated in Estonia waters and 500 tons transferred to Community waters Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 519,000 Average price ECU/tonne: 30. 47 8. ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: The financial contribution granted by the Coftimunity 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 previous years, has mainly been used by Estonia for the continued improvement of scientific research on fisheries and the training of fisheries managers and control activities. 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. Ï ISSN 0254-1475 COM(98) 685 final DOCUMENTS EN 03 07 11 14 Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-694-EN-C Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L 2(:<l. 5 I ix mbourg