Brussels, 16/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - As EUROPE was going to press, the Agriculture-Fisheries Council as pursuing its talks Monday evening on the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP), on the basis of a first compromise by the Danish Presidency notably providing for authorising for another two years aid to fleet renewal and the introduction of greater flexibility in the multi-annual resource management plans. The other two subjects linked to the reform package, total allowable catches (TACs) and the reconstitution plans for cod stocks are to be examined on Tuesday and Wednesday in view of an overall compromise Thursday. The Presidency has provided for extending the Council until Saturday, idf need be.
At this stage, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany and Sweden (who would, however, have liked more drastic and more ambitious measures) supported the Presidency compromise, unlike France, Portugal and Ireland, and, to a certain extent, Finland, which are opposed to abolition of State aid even in two years' time. Belgium, which regretted the text would be weakened compared to the initial proposals, said it supported the measures proposed regarding satellite surveillance. Sweden called for recovery plans to apply to all stocks and recommended the setting in place of emergency measures for stocks that are below the biological limits. The United Kingdom, which welcomed the compromise, called for a 1: 1 ratio for the entry/exit system for fishing vessels (while the Presidency proposed 1: 1.7). The British also called for structural actions to be linked to fisheries policy and took a stance in favour of keeping the 6-12 nautical mile rule for 20 years (compared to 10 proposed by the Commission). France repeated that TACs and quotas should remain the preferred instruments, and rejected the measures that would be taken at the same time as reduction of fishing effort. In France's view, failure of the CFP is linked to the shortcomings in inspections. Ireland strongly rejected the Commission's attempt to do away with the "Irish Box" rules. This, it says, would entail the arrival of 200 Spanish vessels (compared to 40 today) in the coastal zone 12-miles off its coast. Several other Member States, such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden, also expressed concern about the possible presence of Spanish vessels in northern Community waters.
The compromise submitted on Monday afternoon to the ministers responsible for fisheries policy provides for:
Structural measures: Until 31 December 2004 (instead of 2003 suggested by the Commission), Member States will be authorised to pay public aid for renewal of vessels whose gross tonnage does not exceed 100 tonnes. These subsidies can, however, only be paid on condition that the entry of 100 tonnes in new capacities is accompanied by a reduction of 170 tonnes in capacity (ratio 1 to 1.7 of the incoming/outgoing system of fishing vessels). Aid to fleet modernisation could continue to be granted, but only for improving the safety, working conditions or quality of products on board the vessels (as proposed by the Commission). An increased tonnage capacity is accepted for ships over ten years of age and on condition also that modernisation does not entail an increase in the possibility of catching fish (engines).
Conservation of fish stocks: As certain Member States refuse measures to limit the fishing effort being added to the rules for conserving resources (total allowable catches, TACs and quotas), the compromise provides for these two instruments to exist at the same time but solely in the context of the multiannaual plans for stock recovery. Furthermore, the inclusion of measures for limiting the fishing effort in the multiannual management plans should be decided on a case by case basis. Emergency measures taken by the Commission (to remedy a serious threat for the conservation of stocks) are limited to a six month period renewable for six months (instead of a maximum one year period).
Aid to scrapping of vessels: The funds for scrapping fishing vessels are limited to boats which take part in the stock recovery programmes, including those for cod.
Inspections: The compulsory date suggested for installing the satellite surveillance system for vessels is fixed for 1 January 2004 for boats of over 18 metres in length and 1 January 2005 for those over 15 metres. Inspections carried out by Commission officials (hence without the presence of national inspectors) must be limited to reviewing the correct implementation of the CFP rules by the Member State).
Before the beginning of the meeting, France and Spain leapt to defend rejection of the first Danish Presidency compromise, which had been sent to the delegations on Sunday evening. Evoking the risk of negotiations failing, the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Hervé Gaymard, pointed out to the press that there was "no logical reason why one should continue to subsidise a small boat and not a larger boat". He added that he did not see any "significant innovation in the Presidency's paper" on reducing the fishing effort. He concluded by saying: "either we enter a pragmatic approach and are able to reach a compromise, or we keep an idealogical approach, which is the case today, and I cannot see why one should reach a compromise". Spanish Minister Miguel Arias Canete, believes the Presidency compromise text is "neither reasonable nor satisfactory". In his view, the continuation of aid to renewal of the fleet for small boats only (under 100 tonnes), through an obligation to increase outgoing boats, was an insufficient proposal. Furthermore, some aspects of the proposals on controls "cause problems" and do not provide for improvements concerning access by the Spanish fleet to Community waters, Mr Canete added.