Brussels, 14/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, presented a memorandum to the Commission on Wednesday on the economic difficulties of the fisheries sector in Europe, proposing certain remedies, in particular against the high level of oil prices. Mr Borg stresses that this problem could cause 30% of the EU fishing fleet to go out of business. Such measures should be discussed with Member States (at the next meeting of the Agriculture-Fisheries meeting on 19 and 20 September) and described more exactly in a communication that the Commission will adopt at a later date. In his memo, Mr Borg wishes to reassure the members of the Commission that it is out of the question to put forward measures aimed at subsidising fuel costs. In his view, such measures would be “counter-productive”. Mr Borg cites among the short term solutions the possibilities arising from provisions set out in the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) for the period 2000-2006: aid for temporary cessation of fishing activities, the authorisation to Member States to finance technical modifications or conversion to gear that uses less fuel, or aid for the scrapping of fishing boats.
In the medium and long term, Mr Borg will suggest that the College adopt a communication that provides a framework for Member States for adopting national restructuring plans, which would secure the long-term viability of the vessels concerned. This would be, for example, through measures to reduce the capacity of the fleet, to encourage the conversion of vessels towards less fuel-intensive fishing techniques, and, if necessary to support the diversification of fishing activities.
Joe Borg also suggests measures of the above kind in the framework of the new European Fisheries Fund (EFF) (period 2007-2013) which is still being negotiated in Council: aid for scrapping, replacement of engines by more fuel efficient engines, or aid for the implementation of systems using biofuels. He even agrees to bring forward by one year the implementation of such measures (which should logically apply as of 2007).
Finally, Mr Borg hopes to present a proposal aimed at raising the current de minimis threshold for aid in the fisheries sector (aid that should be notified to the Commission), as several Member States request. The threshold of such aid is currently EUR 3,000 per fisherman (or farmer) over a three-year period. Mr Borg also suggests in the context of the common market organisation for fish products that there should be measures allowing added value to be given to products (ecological labelling, for example).