Brussels, 22/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the EU forwarded a proposal to the WTO largely based on the internal reform adopted last December and which does away with public aid that has the effect of increasing fishing capacity and hence of contributing to over-fishing. Subsidies that are to disappear are aid to fleet renewal and aid for the permanent transfer of fishing vessels to third countries (including through the creation of joint enterprises with third countries). As in the framework of measures adopted during reform of Common Fisheries Policy, the subsidies that would continue to be granted include aid for upgrading and modernising fishing vessels, but only if the aim is to improve safety, product quality or working conditions on board the fishing vessels, aid that is intended for social measures (early retirement, diversification) and, finally, subsidies that are paid to fishermen and vessel owners who have to temporarily stop their fishing activity, when stoppages are due to unforeseeable circumstances such as natural disasters.
Commissioner Pascal Lamy explained to a small group of reporters that the aim of the EU is to place the different kinds of fishing subsidies into two categories: - a red box containing subsidies that would now be banned if agreement were reached on an overall system, hence investment in favour of fishing capacities; - and a green box to cover subsidies that would be authorised (training, diversification). Mr Lamy pointed out that the Community was halfway between the two camps: the so-called "fish friends" group who are against subsidies (developing countries, Australia, New Zealand and, to a certain extent, the United States) and the group mainly consisting of Japan and Korea. According to Mr Lamy, the EU's proposal is somewhat aggressive or at any rate quite brusque. He explained that the "fish friends" countries consider WTO discussions must also concern conservation and stock measures. In his view, the EU considers there is no reason to extend WTO discussions to conservation and natural resource issues which come under other international organisations.
Mr Lamy recalled that the world fishing turnover is by way of EUR 80 billion annually and that the amounts of subsidies are estimated more or less between EUR 10 and 15 billion.