Battersby, R.

Archive of European Integration

7 May 1984 
English Edition 
European Communities 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
Working Documents 
1984-1985 
DOCUMENT 1-222/84 
Report 
drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture 
on the proposal from the Commission of the European 
Communities to the Council (Doe. 1-132/84 -
COMC84> 122 final> for a regulation on the conclusion 
of the Agreement between the European Economic Community 
and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on 
fishing off Seychelles 
Rapporteur: Mr R. BATTERSBY 
PE 89.961/fin. 
Or En 

By letter of 30 March 1984, the President of the Council of the European 
Communities requested the European Parliament to deliver an opinion, pursuant 
to Article 43 of the EEC Treaty, on the proposal from the Commission of the 
European Communities to the Council for a regulation on the conclusion of the 
Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the 
Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles. 
On 9 April 1984, the President of the European Parliament referred this 
proposal to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Development 
and Cooperation as the committees responsible and to the Committee on Budgets 
for an opinion. 
The Committee on Agriculture appointed Mr BATTERSBY rapporteur. 
The Committee on Agriculture considered the Commission's proposal and 
the draft report at its meeting of 25 April 1984 and at the same meeting 
decided unanimously to recommend to Parliament that it approve the Commission's 
proposal without amendment. 
The committee then unanimously adopted the motion for a resolution as a 
whole. 
The following took part in the vote: Mr Colleselli, vice-chairman and 
acting chairman; Mr Battersby, rapporteur; Miss Brookes (deputizing for Mr Hord), 
Mr Dalsass, Mr Gautier, Mr Goerens <deputizing for Mr Jurgens>, Mrs Le Roux 
(deputizing for Mr Maffre-Bauge>, Mr Marck, Mr M. Martin (deputizing for 
Mr Pranchere>, Mr d'Ormesson, Mrs Pauwelyn (deputizing for Mr Maher>, Mr Provan, 
Mr Stella (deputizing for Mr Ligios> and Mr Vgenopoulos. 
The present report was tabled on 2 May 1984. 
The opinion of the Committee on Budgets is attached. 
The deadline for tabling amendments to this report appears in the draft 
agenda for the part-session at which it will be debated. 
- 3 - PE 89.961/fin. 
A 
B 
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 
5 
7 
Opinion of the Committee on Budgets.......................... 9 
- 4 - PE 89.961/fin. 
A 
The Committee on Agriculture hereby submits to the European Parliament the 
following motion for a resolution together with explanatory statement : 
closing the procedure for consultation of the European Parliament on the 
proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council for 
a regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic 
Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off 
Seychelles 
having regard to the proposal from the Commission to the Council 
(COM(84) 122 final>, 1 
having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 43 of the 
EEC Treaty (Doc.1-132/84), 
having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and the 
opinion of the Committee on Budgets (Doe. 1-222/84), 
having regard to the result of the vote on the Commission's proposal, 
1. Approves the fisheries agreement concluded between the Community and 
Seychelles; 
2. Calls upon the Commission to supply more detailed information on the 
season during which Community vessels fished experimentally in the 
Indian Ocean and on the catches made by vessels from third countries 
in the exclusive economic zone of Seychelles; 
3. Stresses the importance of the fisheries agreements concluded between 
the Community and developing countries as part of a development aid 
policy aimed at enabling these countries to take their own affairs in 
hand, thanks to transfers of suitable technology; 
4. Urges the Commission to conclude a fisheries agreement with Mauritius 
1 
in order to make new fishing areas available to Community vessels, in the 
mutual interests of the parties concerned; 
OJ No. C 81, 22.3.84, p. 8 
- 5 - PE 89.961/fin. 
5. Asks the Commission to consider the possibility of concluding other 
fisheries agreements relative to the Indian Ocean or even the Pacific 
Ocean, which is already an economic zone of major importance; 
6. Instructs its President to forward to the Council and Commission, as 
Parliament's opinion, the Commission's proposal as voted by Parliament 
and the corresponding resolution. 
- 6 - PE 89.961 /fin. 
B 
1. On 18 January 1984, a fisheries agreement was initialled between the EEC 
and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles. 
This agreement, which is one of a series of 'tuna' agreements - others 
having been concluded with Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, 
countries on the Atlantic Ocean- establishes a Community outpost in the 
Indian Ocean. Consequently, its political importance should not be 
underestimated. It should further be noted that Spain has just concluded 
a fisheries agreement with Seychelles. 
2. The agreement, concluded for an initial period of three years, can be 
extended for additional two-year periods unless notice of termination is 
given three months before the end of any such period. Pending an opinion 
by the European Parliament, it came into force provisionally and retro-
actively, with effect from 11 January 1984, so as not to interrupt current 
fishing activities. 
3. The agreement provides for the issue by the authorities of Seychelles of 
licences to fish in the exclusive economic zone of 200 miles around the 
coast of Seychelles, subject to payment of a fee by the shipowners, for 
27 Community ocean-going freezer tuna boats, it being understood that the 
number of such vessels fishing simultaneously is limited to 18. 
4. In order not to prejudice small-scale fisheries in Seychelles, fishing 
by seiners is not authorized in the continental shelf area as defined by 
the 200-meter isobath or within the 3-mile limit around the rafts placed 
by Seychelles. 
5. Community vessels must regularly notify the Seychelles authorities of their 
catches. Likewise, at the request of these authorities, they are obliged 
to allow an observer on board. 
6. Pursuant to the agreement, shipowners must pay the Seychelles Treasury an 
advance on the fees of 120,000 ECU, the fees themselves being set at 20 ECU 
per tonne caught. 
- 7 - PE 89.961/fin. 
7. The Community itself undertakes to pay Seychelles 
a) an amount not in excess of 250,000 ECU for the first three years, 
in order to finance a Seychelles scientific programme aimed at 
improving knowledge of fish stocks in the region; 
b) a sum of between 900,000 and 3,000,000 ECU for the first three years 
of validity of the agreement, calculated according to the amount of 
fish caught. This means an annual financial compensation of between 
300,000 and 1,000,000 ECU, the minimum of 300,000 ECU being increased 
as soon as Community vessels catch more than 6,000 tonnes of tuna per 
year. 
8. The fisheries agreement concluded between the Community and Seychelles 
can be approved by the European Parliament. However, it would have been 
useful to have more details on: 
a) the results of the first season during which fishing was pursued on an 
experimental basis by the Community in the Indian Ocean; 
b) the quantities of fish caught in the Seychelles exclusive economic 
zone by all the countries fishing there. 
9. In these circumstances, the European Parliament hopes that an agreement will 
soon be concluded with Mauritius, since such fishing agreements are an 
essential aspect of development aid that is designed to help developing countries 
to achieve self-sufficiency in food. Fish is an important source of protein 
but the need remains for developing countries to exploit their fishery resources 
efficiently. For this purpose, transfers of technology, provided for within 
the framework of fisheries agreements, can play a vital role in helping 
developing countries to take charge of their own affairs and thus reduce their 
dependence on third countries, whose policies are not always inspired solely 
by altruism. 
- 8 - PE 89.961/fin. 
OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS 
Letter from the chairman of the committee to Mr CURRY, chairman of the 
Committee on Agriculture 
Subject: Proposals for Council Regulations 
- on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic 
Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on 
fishing off Seychelles 
-on the provisional application of the Agreement between the European 
Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles 
on fishing off Seychelles 
CCOMC84) 122 - Doe. 1-232/84) 
Dear Mr Curry, 
The Committee on Budgets considered the abovementioned Commission proposals at 
its meeting of 17-18 April 1984. 
The Commission's financial statement shows costs amounting to 384,000 ECU for 
each of the years 1984, 1985 and 1986. 
The Committee on Budgets recommends that the Committee on Agriculture, as the 
committee responsible, endorse this proposal from the Commission. 
Yours sincerely, 
Erwin LANGE 
The following took part in the vote: Mr Lange, chairman; Mr Notenboom, 
vice-chairman; Mr Abens, Mr Croux, Mrs Hoff, Mr Kellett-Bowman, Mr Langes, 
Mr Louwes, Mr Newton Dunn and Mr Pfennig. 
- 9 - PE 89.961/fin. 



Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council (Doc. 1-132/84 - COM (84) 122 final) for a regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles. Working Documents 1984-85, Document 1-222/84, 7 May 1984

7 May 1984 English Edition European Communities EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Working Documents 1984-1985 DOCUMENT 1-222/84 Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council (Doe. 1-132/84 -COMC84> 122 final> for a regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles Rapporteur: Mr R. BATTERSBY PE 89.961/fin. Or En By letter of 30 March 1984, the President of the Council of the European Communities requested the European Parliament to deliver an opinion, pursuant to Article 43 of the EEC Treaty, on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council for a regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles. On 9 April 1984, the President of the European Parliament referred this proposal to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Development and Cooperation as the committees responsible and to the Committee on Budgets for an opinion. The Committee on Agriculture appointed Mr BATTERSBY rapporteur. The Committee on Agriculture considered the Commission's proposal and the draft report at its meeting of 25 April 1984 and at the same meeting decided unanimously to recommend to Parliament that it approve the Commission's proposal without amendment. The committee then unanimously adopted the motion for a resolution as a whole. The following took part in the vote: Mr Colleselli, vice-chairman and acting chairman; Mr Battersby, rapporteur; Miss Brookes (deputizing for Mr Hord), Mr Dalsass, Mr Gautier, Mr Goerens <deputizing for Mr Jurgens>, Mrs Le Roux (deputizing for Mr Maffre-Bauge>, Mr Marck, Mr M. Martin (deputizing for Mr Pranchere>, Mr d'Ormesson, Mrs Pauwelyn (deputizing for Mr Maher>, Mr Provan, Mr Stella (deputizing for Mr Ligios> and Mr Vgenopoulos. The present report was tabled on 2 May 1984. The opinion of the Committee on Budgets is attached. The deadline for tabling amendments to this report appears in the draft agenda for the part-session at which it will be debated. - 3 - PE 89.961/fin. A B MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• EXPLANATORY STATEMENT ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 7 Opinion of the Committee on Budgets.......................... 9 - 4 - PE 89.961/fin. A The Committee on Agriculture hereby submits to the European Parliament the following motion for a resolution together with explanatory statement : closing the procedure for consultation of the European Parliament on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council for a regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles having regard to the proposal from the Commission to the Council (COM(84) 122 final>, 1 having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 43 of the EEC Treaty (Doc.1-132/84), having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (Doe. 1-222/84), having regard to the result of the vote on the Commission's proposal, 1. Approves the fisheries agreement concluded between the Community and Seychelles; 2. Calls upon the Commission to supply more detailed information on the season during which Community vessels fished experimentally in the Indian Ocean and on the catches made by vessels from third countries in the exclusive economic zone of Seychelles; 3. Stresses the importance of the fisheries agreements concluded between the Community and developing countries as part of a development aid policy aimed at enabling these countries to take their own affairs in hand, thanks to transfers of suitable technology; 4. Urges the Commission to conclude a fisheries agreement with Mauritius 1 in order to make new fishing areas available to Community vessels, in the mutual interests of the parties concerned; OJ No. C 81, 22.3.84, p. 8 - 5 - PE 89.961/fin. 5. Asks the Commission to consider the possibility of concluding other fisheries agreements relative to the Indian Ocean or even the Pacific Ocean, which is already an economic zone of major importance; 6. Instructs its President to forward to the Council and Commission, as Parliament's opinion, the Commission's proposal as voted by Parliament and the corresponding resolution. - 6 - PE 89.961 /fin. B 1. On 18 January 1984, a fisheries agreement was initialled between the EEC and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles. This agreement, which is one of a series of 'tuna' agreements - others having been concluded with Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, countries on the Atlantic Ocean- establishes a Community outpost in the Indian Ocean. Consequently, its political importance should not be underestimated. It should further be noted that Spain has just concluded a fisheries agreement with Seychelles. 2. The agreement, concluded for an initial period of three years, can be extended for additional two-year periods unless notice of termination is given three months before the end of any such period. Pending an opinion by the European Parliament, it came into force provisionally and retro-actively, with effect from 11 January 1984, so as not to interrupt current fishing activities. 3. The agreement provides for the issue by the authorities of Seychelles of licences to fish in the exclusive economic zone of 200 miles around the coast of Seychelles, subject to payment of a fee by the shipowners, for 27 Community ocean-going freezer tuna boats, it being understood that the number of such vessels fishing simultaneously is limited to 18. 4. In order not to prejudice small-scale fisheries in Seychelles, fishing by seiners is not authorized in the continental shelf area as defined by the 200-meter isobath or within the 3-mile limit around the rafts placed by Seychelles. 5. Community vessels must regularly notify the Seychelles authorities of their catches. Likewise, at the request of these authorities, they are obliged to allow an observer on board. 6. Pursuant to the agreement, shipowners must pay the Seychelles Treasury an advance on the fees of 120,000 ECU, the fees themselves being set at 20 ECU per tonne caught. - 7 - PE 89.961/fin. 7. The Community itself undertakes to pay Seychelles a) an amount not in excess of 250,000 ECU for the first three years, in order to finance a Seychelles scientific programme aimed at improving knowledge of fish stocks in the region; b) a sum of between 900,000 and 3,000,000 ECU for the first three years of validity of the agreement, calculated according to the amount of fish caught. This means an annual financial compensation of between 300,000 and 1,000,000 ECU, the minimum of 300,000 ECU being increased as soon as Community vessels catch more than 6,000 tonnes of tuna per year. 8. The fisheries agreement concluded between the Community and Seychelles can be approved by the European Parliament. However, it would have been useful to have more details on: a) the results of the first season during which fishing was pursued on an experimental basis by the Community in the Indian Ocean; b) the quantities of fish caught in the Seychelles exclusive economic zone by all the countries fishing there. 9. In these circumstances, the European Parliament hopes that an agreement will soon be concluded with Mauritius, since such fishing agreements are an essential aspect of development aid that is designed to help developing countries to achieve self-sufficiency in food. Fish is an important source of protein but the need remains for developing countries to exploit their fishery resources efficiently. For this purpose, transfers of technology, provided for within the framework of fisheries agreements, can play a vital role in helping developing countries to take charge of their own affairs and thus reduce their dependence on third countries, whose policies are not always inspired solely by altruism. - 8 - PE 89.961/fin. OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS Letter from the chairman of the committee to Mr CURRY, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture Subject: Proposals for Council Regulations - on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles -on the provisional application of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off Seychelles CCOMC84) 122 - Doe. 1-232/84) Dear Mr Curry, The Committee on Budgets considered the abovementioned Commission proposals at its meeting of 17-18 April 1984. The Commission's financial statement shows costs amounting to 384,000 ECU for each of the years 1984, 1985 and 1986. The Committee on Budgets recommends that the Committee on Agriculture, as the committee responsible, endorse this proposal from the Commission. Yours sincerely, Erwin LANGE The following took part in the vote: Mr Lange, chairman; Mr Notenboom, vice-chairman; Mr Abens, Mr Croux, Mrs Hoff, Mr Kellett-Bowman, Mr Langes, Mr Louwes, Mr Newton Dunn and Mr Pfennig. - 9 - PE 89.961/fin. 

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