Brussels, 04/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission adopted a draft Regulation aimed at extending for one year (ie until 31 December 2002) the EUR 15 million aid scheme for the transport of certain fisheries products from the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and the French overseas departments of Guyane and the Réunion. The instrument was set up in 1998 to compensate for the extra costs borne by producers in these ultraperipheral zones (because of the great distance, insularity and the economic and social obstacles facing these regions) but was due to expire on 31 December 2001. The compensation consisted of a fixed amount per tonne with annual quantitative ceilings for the following products: tuna supplied to the food processing industry in Madeira and the Azores, frozen tuna sold fresh (the Canary Islands), sardines and mackerel, cephalopod products, sole and sea bream (the Canary Islands), prawns (Guyane), tuna and swordfish (Réunion).
The Commission was due to publish by June 2001 a report assessing the scheme, potentially accompanied by proposals, but decided instead that it would be a good idea to extend the system for a year in order to include the scheme in the broader reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2002.