Strasbourg, 22/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday the European Parliament will discuss and reach a decision on the proposal to transfer EU ships to areas in Asia devastated by the tidal wave last December. On Tuesday the EP agreed to an emergency vote on this case to allow Fisheries Ministers from EU Member States to conclude a political agreement on 28 February (EUROPE 19 February 2005 p 8). The EP fisheries committee examined the case in detail late Tuesday afternoon, in an effort to ensure that EU ships did not harm the activities of local fishermen in third countries. At the time of going to the emergency vote, Hannes Swoboda (Austrian Social Democrat) gave his support to the proposals, as did “fisheries” committee president at the EP, Philippe Morillon (ADLE, France). Only Carl Schlyter (Greens/EFA, Sweden) considered, like some NGOs (including the WWF), that it would be better to give money to these countries to rebuild their fishing effort. Schlyter said that the countries concerned (Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand) declared last week that they would prefer to have the money rather than EU boats that were ill-suited to local needs.