Marketing of fishery products: scheme to compensate for extra costs due to remoteness of Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, Guyana, Réunion; extending the scheme until 31 December 2002

PURPOSE: to extend Regulation 1587/98 by one year. CONTENT: In 1998 the Council adopted a Regulation aimed at compensating the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and the French departments of Guyana and Réunion for additional costs incurred in the marketing of certain fishery products as a result of their remoteness. The Regulation is set to last from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2001. Under the conditions of the Regulation, the Commission must submit a report on the implementation of the measures, and where appropriate, propose any necessary changes to achieve the objectives of the Regulation. The Commission however, has decided that it needs to carry out a detailed evaluation, with the aid of external consultants, on the impact of the measure and the costs incurred by fishing enterprises as a result of their remoteness. The Commission therefore seeks to extend the Regulation by a further year. This would allow for the continuity of the legal framework as well as allowing the Commission to integrate the results of the evaluation in its next report.�