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WRITTEN QUESTION E-2124/02
by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission
(17 July 2002)
Subject: Future of fisheries-dependent communities
The European Court of Justice has clearly reinforced the principle of
relative stability based on the original text of Council Regulation (EEC)
No 170/83(1) as a principle which is intended to ensure for each Member
State a share of the Community's TACs, determined essentially on the basis
of the catches from which traditional fishing activities and the local
inhabitants dependent on fisheries and related industries of that Member
State benefited before the quota system was established (see, for example,
Case C-4/96).
Adjusting the principle of relative
stability, as proposed by the European Commission in its CFP reform
proposals, to a principle under which allocations should be based on an
average share of catches over the preceding 5 or 10 years and eventually
eliminating the principle of relative stability, would be contrary to the
very essence of the principle and why it was established and has been
consistently reaffirmed. Adjusting and/or eliminating the principle would
jeopardise the future of fisheries-dependent communities which depend on
their historical fishing rights being protected. Can the Commission
therefore provide a clear explanation as to how it will bear
responsibility for destroying fragile communities where there is often no
alternative employment and, in so doing, undermining or eliminating what
is a firmly established fundamental Community principle?
Joint answer to Written Questions E-2123/02 and E-2124/02 given by Mr
Fischler on behalf of the Commission
(5 August 2002)
As the Honourable Member rightly stated, the principle of relative
stability has been referred to in Community legislation. However, that
legislation does not contain the elements necessary to make fully
transparent how the principle of relative stability works in practice. The
Commission proposes that these elements are laid down in a Regulation by
Council, in consultation with Parliament. The Commission is convinced that
legal security will be increased in this manner. |
