Small-scale coastal fishing (budget heading B2-521)

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the Commission communication is to inform Parliament and the Council regarding the action taken by the Commission in 1995 in order to implement budget heading B2-251, which in the 1995 budget had been allocated ECU 3 m in commitment appropriations to assist small-scale coastal fishing. SUBSTANCE: The Commission rejected from the first the part-financing of individual projects and it asked the Member States to submit, by 1 October 1995, whole programmes of a limited scope, known as 'action plans for small-scale coastal fishing'. After examination, each plan would be approved by a Commission decision and be allocated a single commitment paid in two instalments. The measures focused on the modernization of small-scale fishing and priority was given to projects which combine investment in vessels with training courses for users of the modernized vessels that are directly related to the investment. Seven Member States submitted an action plan. The appropriations available were allocated according to the importance of small-scale coastal fishing in the Member States concerned, in terms of the number of vessels and tonnage. The final allocation was as follows: Greece: ECU 843 000; Spain ECU 822 000; Finland ECU 145 000; Ireland: ECU 100 000; Italy: ECU 402 000; Portugal: ECU 517 000 and Sweden ECU 171 000. The programmes, which were approved by Commission decision of 18 December 1995, will run until the end of 1996 and implementation reports will be submitted during the first half of 1997. �