Mr President, I welcome harmonization. For much too long within a Community which has a common fisheries policy there have been discrepancies. If I take my own country and Scotland, one finds that we were selling boats to Scotland and vice versa and that there was no similarity whatsoever as regards tonnage. This issue is vitally important and it is very welcome.

I believe that the dates which have been agreed by the Council of Ministers are quite realistic. I anticipate that the Member States will meet the deadlines which for vessels between 15 and 24 metres is 2004 and for vessels under 15 metres, the end of December 1996. I believe that there is sufficient time in which to harmonize. Of course there is no difficulty with vessels over 24 metres because all of this has been in place and all measured in the same way since 18 July 1994. It is important for this industry to ensure harmonization. Unfortunately, we do not have harmonization and the present rules suit some countries better than others but this is one rule which all will have to comply with and it is a welcome development.