Fisheries sector and resources: structural measures and sustainable development, FIFG

PURPOSE : to amend certain provisions of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). CONTENT : in a recent communication to the Council, the Commission regretted the inadequacy of the the existing measures to contain fishing effort under the fourth generation of multiannual guidance programmes (MAGP IV). This situation, which can be considered a weakness of the CFP, must be rectified by courageous and effective measures. The Commisssion presents a proposal for the prolongation of one year, that is until 31 December 2002, of the Decision currently in force, thus also prolonging by one year the MAGP IV (refer to CNS/2001/0128). It also proposes to modify the FIFG Regulation by introducing new constraints, namely: - The granting of aid for constructions and modernisation to be made conditional upon the respect of the MAGP objectives in all segments, not only in the segment concerned. - The deletion of provision in Article 6 allowing an increase in the MAGP objectives on the grounds of safety, navigation, hygiene, product quality and working conditions. - The prohibition of aid for constructions and modernisation in any segment where activity reductions are being implemented as a means of achieving MAGP objectives. If the profitability of the fleet is such that decommission grants are not sufficiently attractive there is no justification to use public aid to renew the vessels in the segment. - The prohibition of awarding public aid allowing for the transfer of vessels to third countries that have been identified by the relevant fisheries organisations as countries that permit fishing "in a manner which jeopardises the effectiveness of international conservation measures." A final change to the FIFG Regulation concerns Article 16.2, where the possibility of granting financial compensation to cover the costs of technical restrictions is extended to such restrictions imposed by any Community legislation, not just to those imposed by Council Decision.�