B4-0422, 0481, 0482, 0483, 0490 and 0491/95

Resolution on the illegal arrest of the Spanish vessel 'Estai'

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to its resolution of 18 November 1994 on the recent agreement on NAFO fisheries quotas for 1995 and its resolution of 16 February 1995 on the allocation of the TAC for black halibut for 1995 in NAFO waters,

B.concerned about the illegal seizure by force of the Spanish fishing vessel 'Estai' on 9 March 1995 by the Canadian authorities, when the vessel was legally fishing Greenland halibut in the international waters of the North Atlantic Fishing Organization (NAFO), which represents an act of aggression against the Community fleet and a violation of the international law of the sea and of the NAFO Convention,

C.having regard to the fact that the Council and the Commission suspended all negotiations with Canada until the boat and its crew were freed,

D.recalling that the Common Fisheries Policy has a founding mission of conservation, and having regard to the need to develop ever-more sophisticated methods of securing international cooperation in the protection of endangered fish species at global level;

1.Condemns the Canadian Government for this incident, which constitutes an illegal act in international waters;

2.Affirms its solidarity with the crew of the impounded boat and deeply regrets the unacceptable conditions under which the crew members were taken to the port of St John's;

3.Urges the Commission and the Council to maintain the positions they have been taking to defend firmly the principles of law of the sea and the rights of the Community fishing fleet operating in the NAFO zone, in the confidence that a negotiated settlement to the conflict can be worked out in full respect of the international law of the sea;

4.Calls on the Council and Commission to engage in urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent the escalation of this latest EU-Canada fisheries incident into a major confrontation;

5.Urges the Community bodies and the Member States to support with great firmness all legal actions vis à vis Canada, particularly in the diplomatic, commercial and cooperation spheres;

6.Affirms its full agreement with the Commission to ask for an extraordinary meeting of the NAFO Fishing Committee in order to solve the fishing dispute which has arisen between the two contracting parties;

7.Recognizes that any damage to the 'Estai' must be compensated by the offending party;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, and the Government and Parliament of Canada.