WRITTEN QUESTION E-0860/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) and Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission. Fisheries agreement with Mexico.
C 72 E/8 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 3. 2001 At this stage, the Commission does not have the data which would enable it to quantify the impact 4. of its proposal in the countries which have applied for membership. (1) OJ C 89 E, 28. 3. 2000. (2001/C 72 E/008) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0860/00 by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) and Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission Subject: Fisheries agreement with Mexico (22 March 2000) the EU-Mexico free trade agreement, Following the recent signing of the Mexican authorities have expressed great satisfaction at the results obtained, inter alia, in the fisheries sector. Recently, a member of the Mexican government proudly stated that Mexico had extremely extensive fishing grounds and low levels of fish consumption ü in other words, the opposite to Europe. The same sources state that as Mexico did not, in the agreement, assume any obligation to grant licences to the EU, there is every likelihood of a large increase in exports of Mexican fish to the EU. What are the provisions on fisheries of the free trade agreement with Mexico? Does it in fact include provision for EU vessels to be licensed to fish in Mexican waters? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 May 2000) The Decision adopted on 23 March 2000 by the Community-Mexico Joint Council, due to come into force on 1 July, provides for creation of a Community-Mexico free-trade area. Most trade in fishery products ü accounting for € 74 million and 0,3 % of total trade ü would be liberalised over a maximum of ten years. Establishment of the free-trade area will naturally result in more trade, to the benefit of both partners. The specific vulnerabilities of the Community industry have however been taken into account by means of deferred or partial (imposition of quotas) liberalisation for certain products. The trade agreement has no provisions on fishery resources. Mexico is not therefore obliged to offer fishing licences to Community vessels. Nor does the agreement make entry into force of the trade concessions conditional on existence of a fishery agreement. Thus any increase in Mexican fish exports to the Community would result not from the lack of a fishery agreement but more accurately from the free-trade agreement. (2001/C 72 E/009) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0862/00 by Marielle De Sarnez (PPE-DE) to the Commission (22 March 2000) Subject: Commission view on the introduction of advertising into state educational establishments For several years now, companies have been insinuating themselves into state educational establishments through advertising, sponsorship, brand-names and distance teaching. This practice, which seeks to turn schoolchildren into consumers, is now taking on worrying proportions in France and in a number of other EU countries and is consequently undermining the established principle of equality in state education. All too often, these private companies take advantage of the lack of resources available to teachers to do their work