Brussels, 14/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission decided to approve implementation of structural aid for the fisheries industry in Cantabria (Spain) and to initiate an enquiry procedure into two aid schemes granted to Italian fishermen in 2000, one concerning fishermen and shellfish producers in the Adriatic and the other concerning fishermen in Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas.
Regarding Spain, the two schemes regarded as complying with Community legislation, and which are part of the Community aid programme under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), are as follows: - 14 million euro for the renewal of the fleet; - 43 million euro for the processing, marketing of fisheries products and aquaculture, aquaculture equipment and port installations. The Commission's decision regarding aid schemes in Italy relates to:
- aid to fishermen in the Adriatic: the Commission only authorised certain elements of this scheme, providing for the payment of compensation to fishermen during two successive periods, as well as to shellfish producers in the Adriatic, whereas other elements are the subject of an enquiry procedure. The temporary cessation of activities in the Adriatic was caused by the spread of mucilage, a naturally-occurring gelatinous substance which appeared during spring 2000, and developed until June before stating to disappear in July. The Commission explains that this phenomenon had an adverse impact of both fishermen and shellfish producers. As it sticks to fishing nets, mucilage hinders normal fishing activities, rendering them impossible when the phenomenon is most intense. It also has an effect on secondary species, such as shellfish, as it reduces the amount of oxygen in the water leading to the death of both wild and farmed shellfish.
The Commission decided to authorise aid granted for the period stretching from 19 June to 19 July 2000, Italy having provided proof that this compensation was directly linked to losses suffered by fishermen and was within the limits of these losses. These measures, with a budget of 1.8 million euro, concerned all fishermen affected in the affected area, or some 1,250 fisheries companies. The aid covering the second period, from 19 July, and over which the Commission has initiated an investigation procedure, was earmarked for pelagic vessels, but could also, on a voluntary basis, cover vessels using static gear or seine nets. With a budget of over 28 million euro, the aid scheme combined compensation for vessel owners and for fishermen for a period of up to 44 days.
On the basis of information provided by Italy, the Commission considers that the cessation of fishing activities after the 19 July could not be linked to the presence of mucilage. Italy also justified this stoppage on the basis of allowing the development of fish resources. However, Italy failed to deliver a recovery plan required by Community rules allowing such aid schemes. Moreover, while cessation of activities must be linked to unpredictable and non-repetitive events, the Commission notes that Italy has previously put in place similar aid schemes. As such, the aid allocated by Italy to its fishermen over this period has the characteristics of operational aids which, according to the principle of the guidelines for the examination of State aid in the fisheries sector, are incompatible with the competition rules of the common market.
Furthermore, the Commission has every reason to launch inquiry procedure as it also has doubts as to the amount of compensation granted to mollusc and crustacean producers, which had been fixed at 30% at most of losses suffered compared to the income of previous years. The Commission, however, does not have any elements to prove that a sum corresponding to 30% of the income of previous years exceeds the real losses suffered by producers of shellfish
- Aid to fishing activities in the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas. A second formal investigation procedure was launched by the Commission concerning aid of EUR 5.16 million granted by Italy to fishermen in these seas that stopped their activity in 2000 for technical reasons. The Commission is not convinced such aid is compatible with the Community rules governing State aid, and Italy has not submitted a plan to encourage the development of fish resources. The cessation of fishing activities took place between 3 July and 1 August 2000 in the Ionian Sea and from 2 September and 1 October 2000 in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Cessation of activities, applicable to vessels using pelagic trawls, was compulsory in certain areas and voluntary in others.