RESOLUTION B3-0556/93

Resolution on the crisis in the market in fishery products

The European Parliament,

-having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3759/92 of 17 December 1992 establishing the common organization of the market in fishery products and, in particular, Title IV thereof governing arrangements for trade with third countries,

-having regard to the recent steps taken by the Commission pursuant to Articles 22 and 24 of the above Regulation, including Regulation (EEC) No. 420/93 of 25 February 1993 making imports of certain fishery products (cod, hake, monkfish, coalfish and haddock for a period of four months) subject to the reference price, Regulation (EEC) No. 592/93 of 12 March 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) No. 420/93 (incorporating Alaska pollack) and Regulation (EEC) No. 695/93 of 25 March 1993 adopting safeguard measures applicable to the placing in free circulation of fishery products landed in the Community by fishing vessels from third countries,

A.whereas the European Community is the world's main fish importer and whereas, therefore, it relies on a regular supply at prices which do not harm Community production,

B.mindful of the serious turbulence from which the Community market has been suffering in recent years and particularly in recent months as a result of the large-scale entry of fraudulent imports from third countries which do not even respect the established reference prices,

C.whereas the current crisis in the market, involving a fall in prices that for some species exceeds 40% when they are first sold without this being passed on to the final consumer, affects practically all producer Member States,

1.Stresses that, despite the recent steps taken by the Commission, the crisis in the Community market has not been resolved and notes once again that Community regulations are unable to deal satisfactorily and swiftly with such situations, which unfortunately are becoming more and more frequent;

2.Regrets that the possibilities for action provided in Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) No. 3759/92 have not been fully exploited and in particular that the Commission and Council have not invoked the safeguard clause provided for in Article 24 of this Regulation with reference to Article 19 of the GATT;

3.Calls on the Commission to undertake a comprehensive re-examination of the operating conditions of the common organization of the markets in the fisheries sector and to propose before the end of the year the adjustments necessary to ensure a balance between production and imports so as to guarantee an equitable standard of living in the long term for producers, in accordance with the provisions of Article 38 of the Treaty;

4.Criticizes the irresponsible attitude of the Member States which did not fulfil their obligation to provide the Commission with statistical information, did not adopt in the Council the measures necessary to tackle the crisis and did not allow the Commission to exercise the powers granted to it under the Treaty as regards the monitoring and control of markets;

5. Calls more specifically on the Commission to take the following measures:

(a)to extend the minimum prices for six species beyond 30 June;

(b)to freeze the opening of new import quotas in respect of third countries until a systematic and thorough examination has been carried out, species by species, with a view to verifying the degree to which Community production capacity is in keeping with the needs of industry and consumption requirements;

(c)to adopt a definitive regulation on the conditions of direct landings from vessels of third countries, a regulation which should not be less stringent than the average equivalent regulations obtaining in the other states with Atlantic seaboards;

(d)to coordinate, with Community participation, national aid systems intended to compensate for losses incurred by professional fishermen owing to the crisis;

(e)to introduce in agreements concluded with third countries and in particular with Russia precise and binding provisions seeking to eliminate dumping practices which are too widespread at present;

6.Requests that a special meeting of the Council of Ministers responsible for fisheries be convened;

7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.