Ecf/0003· European Community No. 8 October/November 1976 an elections European Community Contents

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European Community is published on behalf of the Commission of the European Communities. European elections Carter on Europe London Office: 20 Kensington The basis for direct elections to the The President-elect of the United Palace Gardens, London W8 4QQ European Parliament. p3 States tells European Community Tel. 01-727 8090 "' about his plans. p!0-12 Dublin Office: 29 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Tel. 76 03 53 The magazine is intended to give a concise view of current Community affairs anO stimulate discussions on European problems generally. It does not necessarily reflect the opiriions of the Community Institutions or of its editor. The Month.in Europe Fewer fish in the sea Its unsigned articles may be quoted The background to present or reprinted without payment if The green pound and more aid for Britain. p5 controversies over fishing limits. their source is acknowledged. p.13-16 Rights in signed articles should be negotiated with their authors. In either case, the editor would be glad Politics to receive the publication. .:a.. Printed by Edwin Snell printers, Yeovil, England European Community also appears in the following editions: 1(1111 30Jours d'Europe, 61 rue des Belles Feuilles, 75782 Paris Cedex 16. Citizens of Europe Tel. 553 5326 Sir Christopher Soames discusses European elections. p6-7 Communita Europea, Via Poli 29, 00187 Rome. Tel. 68 97 22 Europa Gammel Torv 4, Post Box 144, 1004 K0benhavn K. Tel. 144140/14 5512 The Community in December EG Magazin, 53 Bonn, Zitelmannstrasse 22, Social and Environment Ministers Tel. 23 8041 December 9 Europese Gemeenschap, Lange Councils Voorhout 29, The Hague. December 13-14 Foreign and Agricultural Ministers Tel. 070-4693 26 Councils Comunidad Europea, 200 rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels. Tel. 735 00 40 December 15-16 Session of the European Parliament Europaiki Koinotis, 200 rue de la December 15-16 Economic and Social Committee Loi, I 040 Brussels. Tel. 735 00 40 plenary session A vrupa Toplulugu, Bogaz Sokak No. 13, Kavaklidere-Ankara. December 16 Finance Ministers Council (Fiscal Tel. 27 61 45-27 61 46 questions) and Transport Ministers Council European Community, 2100 M Street, NW, Washington DC 20037. December 20 Finance and Economic Ministers Tel. 872 8350 Council European elections

The Council decides

On September 20, 1976, the Com­ Independence munity's Council of Ministers ap­ Members are to vote on an proved and signed the Decision and individual and personal basis and Act providing for the direct election will not be by any instructioms or of the European Parliament in all receive a binding mandate. This does the Community's member States. not, of course, preclude their mem­ Their main provisions are as follows. bership of political parties or party groups. Deadline 1978 The Council's Decision declares National MPs OK its intention 'to give effect to the Members of the directly elected conclusions of the European Council European Parliament may simul­ in Rome on December I and 2, taneously be members of their 1975, that the election of the Assem­ national Parliaments. They may not, bly should be held on a single date however, be simultaneously members within the period May-June 1978.' of a national Government, the Commission, the Court of Justice, 410 members etc. The directly elected Parliament will have 410 seats, allocated as Election procedure follows: Elections to the European Par­ liament will be governed in each Belgium 24 member State by its own national Denmark 16 procedure, pending the entry into Germany 81 force of a uniform procedure, pro­ France 81 posals for which the European Ireland 15 Parliament itself is to draw up. Italy 81 Luxembourg 6 Election dates Netherlands 25 Each member State will determine United Kingdom 81 the date of the election, but on the understanding that it must fall within A 5-year term the same period for all member Members of the Parliament shall States, beginning on Thursday morn­ be elected for a five-year term of ing and ending on the evening of the office. following Sunday. Counting of votes

European Community October/November 1976 3 may not begin until the Sunday the Folketing, and that until then the evening after the close of polling in Folketing will continue to nominate the last member State to vote. Danish members of the European For the first direct election, the Parliament, who must themselves be Council is to decide the period for Folketing members. The Danish polling,acting byunanimousvoteafter Government hopes that these excep­ consulting the European Parliament. tional provisions can be wholly or The next election is to take place in partly dropped during the first five the corresponding period five years years. later, but may if necessary be brought forward or put back one month. Berlin The German Government has declared that the agreement on direct Denmark elections applies equally to the Land Denmark has declared that it will of Berlin, whose Chamber of Depu­ hold direct elections to the European ties will elect representatives to those Parliament at the same time as the seats in the German allocation that election of its national Parliament, are earmarked for Berlin.

4 European Community October/November 1976 The month in Europe

The Green Pound with expansion plans which will re­ At the meeting of Community employ redundant steelworkers and Agricultural Ministers on October 5, coal miners in Wales, Scotland, and 1976, the British Government suc­ Northern England. cessfully resisted pressure to de­ On October 13, 1976, the Com­ value the 'green pound'. It is mission announced a further £27·5 estimated that the maintenance of million loan to the National Coal the 'green pound' at its present level Board to finance investments at the is now causing the Community to following collieries: Ackton Hall in subsidise UK food supplies to the North Yorkshire, Brodsworth in tune of about £1,500,000 a day. At Doncaster, Bentinck in South Not­ the same meeting, the Irish 'green tinghamshire, Bevercotes and Silver­ pound' was devalued by 7·5 per cent. hill in North Nottinghamshire, Silverdale in Staffordshire, and Bold. Cross-border study St. Helens in the North-Western On September 27, 1976, the Com­ coalfield. mission's Director-General for Re­ These loans bring to well over gion Policy, Renato Ruggiero, spoke £1,000 million the Community loans at the formal launching of a joint so far received by Britain. Total study by the UK and Irish Govern­ grants received by the UK from ments into cross-border communi­ Community sources total some £233 cations in the Derry city and million. Donegal areas. The Community's Regional Fund is contributing £35,000 to the study, and will also contribute its experience of similar ventures elsewhere. Quote of the month 'European union is rather like More cash for Britain paradise. All of us want to get On September 27, 1976, the Com­ there. No one knows what it is like. mission announced that it had And no one knows the way there. completed arrangements with Fi­ We only know that it is extra­ nance for Industry Ltd., to make ordinarily difficult.' available a £10 million loan over the Sir Oliver Wright, UK Ambassador next three years to small businesses in Germany, speaking in Berlin on in the UK. The aim is to help them September 17, 1976

European Community October/November 1976 5 Politics .la Citizens of • Europe Sir Christopher Soames on European elections

Speaking at Whitchurch on Sep­ purposes are such as to justify the tember 18, 1976, two days before the view that it is poised to make a Council decision announced on page comprehensive take-over bid for the 3, Commission Vice-President Sir functions and responsibilities of its Christopher Soames declared: member States. 'Let us, above all, be clear as to In fact, of course, the powers and what the significance of these elec­ responsibilities of the member States tions will be. are not only intact in the areas not 'They will not - and this will covered by the treaties - they are please some of you and disappoint also deeply entrenched within the others - they will not usher in a fields of action which the treaties federal European state or a sort of provide for the Community institu­ United States of Europe. You have tions .... only to look at the ground-rules under which the directly elected European Parliament will work to Direct Elections see why this is so .... 'But what of the more pos1t1ve side: granted that the powers of the Integration European Parliament are thus cir­ 'Nevertheless, . the running of a cumscribed and counter-balanced Common Market for industrial and and are unlikely to develop with agricultural goods in Western Europe great rapidity - granted all this, why is already in itself an enormous is it so important that the Parliament operation with far-reaching ramifi­ should be directly elected? cations in many fields of policy - 'The importance of direct elections external trade policy, competition lies first of all in the fact that they policy, industrial, regional and social will extend real democratic account­ policy, economic and fiscal policy. ability into areas of Community And our ambition is to build on this decision-making which cannot at unified market an increasingly inte­ present be subjected to effective grated economic system and an Parliamentary scrutiny. increasingly unified foreign policy. 'In the Community structure as it The Community is therefore an is at present, accountability to the enterprise of first-class importance in electorate is only indirect, exercised world terms - and its stature will through the nominated European continue to grow. But neither its Parliament and through what control constitutional arrangements nor its the national parliaments are able to

6 European Community October/November 1976 exercise over their national ministers interest of each of its member States, meeting in the Council. and it can only continue to work so 'The European Parliament in its long as this is the case. But as the present form - nominated from the Community has grown over the past national legislatures - makes valiant 20 years, the political balance be­ efforts to scrutinise Commission tween the institutions - their relative proposals and Council decisions. political weight - has turned out in But its part-time character and the such a way that the national element limitations which grow from it being in the Community's decision-making only indirectly elected inevitably put has been very much more prominent it at a serious disadvantage. At the than the European element. And same time, the national Parliaments this tendency has recently been - and in particular the House of greatly reinforced by the creation of Commons - also do their best to the European Council of Heads of 'keep tabs' on what their mm1sters Government. do in the Council. But they are 'The added political direction and finding that there is not as much authority which the emergence of scope for this as they would like - the European Council has brought since ministers quite reasonably be­ to the Community is of course very lieve that the national interests for welcome. But it is crucial that the which they are held responsible are formation of European policies bes.t served by keeping their hands should not come to depend essen­ free to negotiate and bargain at tially on inter-governmental agree­ Council meetings. Either way it is ments and the primarily national plain that there is a serious gap in processes which they reflect. the process of parliamentary scrutiny in the Community structure - and it is a gap which can only be filled by A strong community the development of a European 'A broader European perspective Parliament confident and strong must also be brought to bear - and enough to make its weight felt, and this can only be done if national with the time available to do its job. points of view are enriched and set into the wider European context by Legitimacy men and women who are dedicated 'The necessary confidence and to a strong and vigorous Community, strength on the part of the European and who know that they have both Parliament can only be supplied by the right and the duty to make their the added legitimacy and authority views felt. This will be the character that direct elections and full-time of the European Parliament once it working will give it. ... is directly elected .... 'It would be a profound error to 'For let there be no mistake about think of national interests and the it - the most fundamentally impor­ European interest as being opposed tant aspect of the holding of direct to each other and ultimately incom­ elections will be their capacity to patible one with the other. The engage the imagination and interest Community depends upon the fact of the peoples of the Community in that the European interest corres­ European questions as citizens of ponds with the highest national Europe.'

European Community October/November 1976 7 Britain's EEC trade improves

UK exports in the EEC were up by 24 per cent in the first half of 1976 The European Community was Detailed analysis the area in which Britain's trade Table 3 analyses Britain's trade showed the most marked improve­ with other EEC countries by broad ment in the first half of 1976, commodity group. A commodity according to figures released by the breakdown of exports and imports, UK Department of Trade (Trade the Department of Trade points out, and Industry, October 15, p. 153). is not available on a balance of The UK's visible trade deficit with payments basis, but the commodities the rest of the Community during contributing to the movements in that period was £1,017 million, or the overall balance can be seen from £203 million less than in the second the 'crude' balance of trade, i.e. the half of 1975. The reduction in the difference between exports f.o.b. and deficit resulted from a 24 per cent imports c.i.f. - although this is not a increase in exports to other Com­ good measure of the balance of trade munity countries, compared with a in goods because of, among other 13 per cent increase in imports from things, differences in valuation. A them. This was the third successive further difficulty is that six-monthly half-year that British deliveries to figures are not seasonally adjusted. other Community countries have For this reason, the figures in the grown faster than arrivals from them. table should be used with caution. (See table I.) With North America, although the value of UK exports rose by 26 per ()verall i01prove01ent cent in the first half of 1976, the In the first half of 1976, the deficit increased slightly owing to a Department of Trade stated the 21 per cent increase in imports. With United Kingdom's overall visible Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and trade deficit with the rest of the South Africa, a substantial improve­ world fell to £1,513 million, its ment in Britain's trade balance lowest since the first half of 1973. resulted from a 7 per cent increase This improvement was concentrated in exports coupled with a 12 per cent in trade with the developed countries, fall in imports. With the rest of the broadly reflecting the increase in UK world outside these areas, imports exports to them resulting from grew by 27 per cent and exports by growth in the industrialised econ­ 8 per cent. omies. (See table 2.)

8 European Community October/November 1976 Table 1 UK balance of trade with the Table 2 UK balance of trade by area rest of the EEC

£ million, balance of payments basis, seasonally £ million, balance of payments basis, adjusted (percentage change on previous period) seasonally adjusted

Exports Imports Visible Rest of 0th..- Oil Western North developed exporting Rest of fob fob balance EEC Europe America countries countries world Total

1970 +44 +178 -483 +149 -113 +200 -25 1970 2,269 2,225 +44 1971 -185 +118 -170 +223 -188 +482 +280 1971 2,408 (+6%) 2,593 (+17%) -185 1972 -585 -37 -77 -154 -131 +282 -702 1973 - l,16S'-277 -276 -202 -329 -85 -2,334 1972 2,682 (+II %-) 3,267 ( +26%) -585 1974 -2,007 -357 -707 +93 -2,219 -23 -S,220 1973 3,754 (+40%) 4,919 ( +51 %) -1,165 1975 -2,352 -63 -671 -20 -708 +610 -3,204 5,275 ( +41 %) -2,007 1975 1974 7,282 ( +48 %) 1st half -1,132 +28 -361 +3l -]79 +295 -1,533 1975 5,945 (_+ 13 %) 8,297 (+14%) -2,352 2nd half - 1,220 -91 -310 _,, -329 +315 -1,671 1975 1976 1st haff -1,017 -38 -325 +119 -298 +46 -l,S13 1st half 2,782 (+2%) 3,914(+1%) -1,132 2nd half 3,163 (+14%) 4,383 (+12%) -1,220 1976 1st half 3,927 (+24%) 4,944 (+13%) -1,017

Table 3 Crude trade balance with the rest of the EEC by commodity

£ million, not seasonally adjusted, overseas trade statistics basis

1975 1976 1975 1976

ht 2nd ht ht 2nd ht SITC(R) Section 1973 1974 1975 hair half half SITC(R) Section 1973 1974 1975 half half half

0 Foo< -699 -1,220 -1,474 -704 -770 -704 The crude balance in some of the major commodities was: I Beverages and tobacco -Ill -86 -66 -24 -42 -26 Meat -238 -329 -310 -157 -153 -130 2 Basic materials +2 +JO +28 +7 +21 +6 Dairy produce -119 -259 -412 -170 -242 -169 3 Fuels -105 -251 -326 -153 -173 -197 Cereals -128 -284 -263 -116 -147 -198 4 Vegetable oils -13 -32 -30 -14 -16 -IS Fruit and vegetables -99 -129 -174 -79 -·95 -114 5 Chemicals -33 -106 -5 +4 -9 -23 Sugar -3 -68 -152 -105 -47 -35 6 Other semi-manufacturers +182 -142 -182 -119 -63 +46 Fuels -105 -251 -326 -153 -173 -197 7 Machinery and transport Plastics -62 -143 -62 -25 -37 -55 equipment -321 -262 -228 -118 -110 -147 Iron and steel -73 -293 -311 -157 -154 -163 8 Other manufacturers -103 -127 -129 -81 -48 -45 Precious stones +185 +184 +146 +55 +91 +146 9 Other goods +27 +20 +27 +7 +20 0 Machinery -229 -202 -190 -80 -110 -145 Total, not seasonally Road motor vehicles -125 -94 -96 -57 -39 -61 adjusted -1,172 -2,196 -2,386 -1,194 -1,192 -1,105 Total, seasonally adjusted -1,172 -2,196 -2,386 -1,159 -1,227 -1,105

Countries concerned by the 1976 programme (being undertaken currently)

Trade European Trade European missions purchasin1 missions purcbasin.1 Fairs to Europe Scminan missions Fairs to Europe Seminars missions

A1ia Dominican Republic Afghanistan Guatemala Banaladesh Honduras India Mexico Indonesia Nicaragua Malaysia Panama Nepal Paraguay Pakistan Philippines "'"El Salvador Sri Lanka Uruguay Sinppore Venezuela Thailand Othu Latin America Alaeria Argentina Egypt Bolivia Haiti Colombia Tuni1ia Costa Rica Yemen Ecuador

European Community October/November 1976 9 Carter on Europe

How the U.S. President-elect sees Atlantic relations The United States-European re­ ample and assured supplies at fair lation is at the heart of US foreign and stable prices. policy. In economic policy, their Europe will be better able to fulfil co-operation with each other and its role in US-European-Japanese with Japan is necessary both to their co-operation in the degree that it prosperity and to the progress of can speak with one voice and act developing countries; growing Euro­ with one will. The United States has pean unity can help to fulfil this sometimes seemed to encourage promise. In defense, the ties between European unification with words, Europe and the United States are while preferring to deal with national essential to the maintenance of governments in practice. I believe peace. In recent years, these essential that we should deal with Brussels on truths have been overlooked. In the economic issues to the extent that future, they should be remembered. the Europeans themselves make Brussels the focus of their decisions. Inflation The main economic problems Developing countries facing the developed world are The purpose of economic co­ inflation and unemployment. Each operation is not merely to enhance of our countries must attack these the prosperity of the industrial problems through policies of its own countries. It is also to hasten the choosing. These policies will be more developing countries' progress. This effective, however, if they are devised means turning away from the rhetoric in close consultation among the of North-South confrontation, which main industrial countries. often focuses on false issues, to The industrial countries must also address those areas in which genuine co-operate in reducing trade barriers progress can be made. In so doing, that limit their efforts to achieve we need to distinguish between the growth and restrain inflation. They differing needs of various categories must act in concert in developing of developing countries. sources of energy supply and in Some of these countries are making conserving energy consumption so good progress. They need access to as to reduce the danger of costly the import markets of the industrial new oil shocks. They must join in countries; tariff reductions in the developing food policies that will Tokyo round of multilateral trade assure farmers and consumers alike negotiations will be conducive to

10 European Community October/November 1976 this end. They also need access to Most developing countries neither loans on commercial terms. The need nor seek rescheduling; they industrial countries should make it fear it would impair their continued possible for the World Bank and the ability to borrow on international regional development banks to step markets. For the poorest countries, up their loans on business-like terms debt rescheduling should be con­ to these countries. This is sound sidered sympathetically as and where economics and involves little budget­ it is needed. ary cost. In all of this the European Community has a large role to play. Poverty Its founders envisioned that it would In other developing countries, be outward-looking; it has already notably in South Asia and Africa, done a great deal to help some hundreds of millions of people live developing countries. Much remains in abject poverty. These countries do to be done; it can only be done if the not have the credit to borrow on United States, Japan, and the Com­ private markets. They need con­ munity work together on this range cessional aid to get their economies of economic problems. on the move. International nego­ tiations are now underway for Threats to peace replenishment of the International We have become so used to peace Development Association (IDA), the in Europe during the past 30 years soft loan affiliate of the World Bank. that we tend to overlook how readily In recent years the United States has it could be threatened. Peace has been lagging in its support of this been preserved, in good part, because essential program. I hope that the NATO's exertions have maintained United States will play a constructive a stable balance of military power in role in the current negotiations, so Central Europe. That balance is now that agreement can be reached next endangered by the steady build-up spring on a replenishment of IDA of Soviet conventional ground and large enough to bring hope to the tactical air forces which has been poorest countries and to make a underway in Europe. Against a difference in their economic prospects. background of increasingly evident There are, of course, other issues nuclear parity, the balance of con­ in North-South relations about ventional forces is of growing im­ which the United States, Europe, portance. We cannot be indifferent and Japan will need to act in concert. to a threatened shift in that balance. A selective approach to commodity To avert that shift, we need to agreements, where these can be re-examine the military problem that useful in stabilising prices, makes NATO faces. Soviet forces appear to sense. By contrast, any attempt at be configured for brief, intense all­ across-the-board indexing or other­ out offensive operations. Effective wise inflating commodity prices arti­ deterrence requires that NATO have ficially is bound to fail. Nor will a a clear capability to withstand that debt moratorium or other across­ initial attack. We need units in place the-board approaches to debt prob­ with a high degree of readiness and lems in developing countries help. reserve forces that can come quickly

European Community October/November 1976 11 to their support. High priority should balanced force reductions in Europe. go to meeting these needs. Defense and economic policy are To this end, we need to improve key areas of co-operation. The armoured and close support air tendency, evident in recent years, to capabilities; for at least the next allow a preoccupation with East­ decade those arms will be of decisive West relations to overshadow the importance. We also need to exploit need for this co-operation, must be new technology - precision guided resisted. We will only make progress anti-tank and anti-aircraft munitions in our dealings with the Soviet Union which promise a steady growth in and other Communist countries if future defensive capabilities. we do so against a background of Only if all NATO members on the solid progress by the industrial Central Front agree on these im­ countries in jointly addressing their provements, can they be carried out common problems. Increasing West­ with any prospect of success. A ern European unity will facilitate thorough review of NATO's strategy this task, and should be welcomed and force posture, to ensure that it by the United States. is adapted to a changing environ­ The period that lies ahead can be ment, should be mounted as a matter as exciting and challenging as the of urgency. Increasing co-ordination period after World War II, in which of NATO procurement activities - the European Communities, NATO, including standardisation of major and the Organisation for Economic weapons components - is also of the Co-operation and Development essence. Growing defense concert (OECD), and the other great institu­ among the Western European mem­ tions of our day were fashioned. The bers of NATO would contribute to opportunity is there. Working closely these goals, as well as to a continuing together, Europe and the United vigorous effort to reach agreement States can seize it - for their good with the Warsaw Pact on mutual and that of mankind. Statistic of the month More work with NGOs Not only the UK, but the Com­ The Commission has proposed to munity as a whole, has a trade the Council to extend its work in problem with Japan: developing countries with non­ governmental organizations (NGOs) EEC exports to Japan: such as Oxfam, etc. Already, the 1973 $2.8 bn Community distributes much of its 1974 $3.3 bn emergency food aid through such 1975 $2.7 bn intermediaries as the Red Cross and EEC imports from Japan: the church organizations. It now 1973 $4.18 bn proposes to work more directly 1974 $5.2 bn with NGOs, both to undertake 1975 $5.9 bn joint development projects and to Deficit: inform public opinion in the de­ 1973 $1.3 bn veloped countries. 1974 $1.9 bn 1975 $3.2 bn

12 European Communi,ty October/November 1976 Fewer fish in the sea

Michael Berendt on the real problem behind fisheries disputes

'There are more fish in the sea spawning stock level. Plaice is 'fully than ever came out of it' runs the over-exploited', with spawning stock proverb. In the North Sea and the declining. It is a similar picture in North Atlantic this may no longer the English Channel, with plaice be true, for stocks of many species 'highly over-exploited', sole and of fish have fallen to crisis level. This mackerel 'fully exploited' and herring is the real drama behind the recent 'over-exploited'. Off the West of fisheries dispute with Iceland and the Scotland herring, haddock and cod present debate on the European are 'fully or over-exploited'. Commission's proposals for a modi­ This decline in stocks results from fied common fisheries policy. a fishing effort which has exceeded The fishermen of the Community the sea's capacity to replace them. face a common threat to their Industrial fishing for fish meal and livelihood; the future of the industry fish oil causes special problems. It in all member States is in jeopardy. takes fish which are needed for human consumption and damages Dwindling their breeding areas. It also takes Fish is a potentially renewable species which are important food for resource like any living thing, but the more valuable commercial species only if stocks are properly husbanded and thus upsets the ecology. at all stages of their growth. In the With the help of fisheries scientists, waters around western Europe at­ the Commission has set out in tempts at caring for these stocks have detail what conservation measures failed miserably. it believes to be necessary for each An analysis of stocks drawn up by species of fish in the various fishing the European Commission in con­ zones which surround the EEC junction with scientists from member member States. In many areas these countries shows how critical the measures imply a substantial cutback situation has become with many in the present fishing effort in order species. In the North Sea, for to conserve stocks and rebuild stocks instance, herring and sole are 'highly for the future. over-exploited'. The spawning stock As the fish become scarcer and is 'dangerously depleted', at one­ more difficult to find, so the gear for tenth of its post-war level; catches seeking and catching them becomes are declining. Cod and haddock are more efficient. Dr Mark Hughes, 'over-exploited', with a moderate Labour MP for Durham, explained

European Community October/November 1976 13 the problem in a report earlier this a result of tighter conservf!tion year to the European Parliament: measures near home. 'There will always be attempts to Total Community catches of sev­ offset diminishing catches by increas­ eral species of fish have been falling ing capital employed. The result is a over the last 10 years. In 1964 French natural tendency for catches to fishermen took 178,000 tonnes of increase beyond the point at which, cod in the North Atlantic area. The for a particular species, a yield can German catch was 176,000 tonnes be sustained by natural regeneration. and the British catch 361,000 tonnes. 'The problem of over-fishing has By 1974 the French and German been enormously increased by the landings had halved and British very high levels of capital investment landings had fallen to 323,000 tonnes. in the last two decades. Fast-=moving The Soviet catch had risen from fleets, endowed with sophisticated 340,000 to 689,000 tonnes. sounding and catching equipment, Until recently, mackerel was in are able to engage in 'pulse-fishing' limited demand, but the pressure on to clear one area of fish and swiftly North Atlantic mackerel stocks has move on to the next. been mounting, with total catches up 'Fisheries are now heavily over­ from 190,000 tonnes in 1964 to capitalised. The world catch, by 973,000 in 1974. The EEC catch rose weight, nearly doubled between 1958 from 74,000 to 94,000 tonnes, while and 1968. Since 1968, despite a the Norwegian share rose from continuous increase in effort and 51,000 to 288,000 tonnes, the Polish resources, the catch has failed to from 8,000 to 122,000 and the Soviet increase and in some areas has from 4,000 to 244,000 tonnes. fallen.' Total fish catches in the North Atlantic rose by about 25 per cent over the 10 years, but East European Falling catches fishermen's catches in the waters North Sea herring fisheries have were up 50 · per cent. EEC catches declined as drastically as any. 'In the rose by a relativ°ely small amount. 1950s', says Dr Hughes, 'fishing based on the adult herring showed an average annual catch of around Reducing the pressure 600 to 700,000 tonnes. Industrial Extension of Community limits to fishing increased this to 900,000 200 miles, proposed for January 1, tonnes. In the mid-1960s Norwegian 1977, will allow greater control of purse-seiners further increased the third country fishing, but a cutback catch to 1.4 million tonnes. This led is also implied for EEC fleets. to a sharp reduction in catches which In addition to the detailed con­ are now around 500,000 tonnes.' servation measures which would set In the North Atlantic as a whole, out minimum landing sizes, mesh herring catches fell from 3,334,000 sizes and seasonal restrictions, the tonnes in 1964 to 1,616,000 tonnes in Commission proposes the introduc­ 1974. Danish, German and Dutch tion of quotas for each type of fish. catches were halved, and only the But such proposals have no value if British catch increased, from 99,000 they cannot be enforced. The North to 160,000 tonnes, partly, at least, as East Atlantic Fisheries Commission

14 European Community October/November 1976 depends entirely upon the good faith About 80 per cent of the Com­ of its signatory States to apply the munity's fishermen get their living quotas and other measures which are from so 0 called inshore fishing, in­ agreed; it has no sanctions and no volving trips of up to two days at a powers of inspection. time. The Commission reckons that The Community system of law 600,000 people directly or indirectly puts all such measures on a totally depend upon this sector and recog­ different basis.: nises that special conditions should 'The Treaty and Community rules be provided for the inshore industry provide the Community with the in a modified fisheries policy. necessary powers to adopt any The Commission therefore pro­ measures including binding ones, io poses that a 12-mile national limit attain the objectives laid down and should apply to all EEC coasts to ensure that they are observed', indefinitely, extending the principle emphasises the Commission. enshrined in the Treaty of Accession. Community regulations, once ap­ Traditional fishing rights would be proved by the Council of Ministers, respected, but subject to the issue of would have the force of law in all licences for fishing within the 12-mile member States: they would become limit of another member State. part of national law. If a member Further measures are envisaged in government was failing to implement some areas, notably off Ireland and this Community law, it could be Scotland; where 'the provisions re­ taken before the Court of Justice. lating to fishing in the zones from Policing six to 12 miles should be sup­ plemented by provisions whereby Measures on a Community basis fishermen in these regions may would be policed by the member receive an additional share when States. So whereas policing is at quotas are allotted.' present confined to waters up to 12 It would be wrong to suggest that miles off national coasts, the Com­ such exclusive zones will protect all munity system would provide for inshore fishermen, whose activities control far beyond that, allowing range far out to sea, but it would proper protection of breeding provide substantial protection for grounds outside present limits. many fishing communities. About The Commission envisages a 90 per cent of Britain's mollusc and system of licences requiring regis­ crustacean catch is got from within tration of fishing vessels and skippers; the 12-mile limit and 88 per cent of systematic recording of information the pelagic fish like herring and on the position, intensity and results mackerel. It is in haddock, cod, of each vessel's activity; compilation plaice and whiting that British of records provided by s.kippers; and fishermen depend so heavily on other establishment of sanctions ranging waters, taking only 20 per cent of from a warning to suspension of a the catch within the 12-mile band. vessel's licence. Beyond any exclusive limits, the Quotas have to be policed at the Commission proposes the introduc­ ports, and the Commission proposes tion of a quota system on an EEC that a list of 'permitted landing basis. Quotas would be calculated points' should be drawn up to ensure back from an annual catch rate for that catch restrictions are kept. each species of fish. The catch rates

Europeon Community October/November 1976 15 would be determined by a Scientific overall operating costs for the Brit­ Committee. They would be set at a ish, Irish, French, and Italian fishing level which would sustain fish popu­ industries all rose by 30 per cent. lation and rebuild stocks of those Costs have continued to go up since. species which have dwindled in Between 1974 and 1975, moreover, recent years in the North Sea and landings of fish in the UK dropped the North-East Atlantic. The Com­ by 11 per cent, in Ireland by 9 per mission seeks to secure the long­ cent, in France by 9! per cent, and term future of the fishing industry, in Germany by 14 per cent. and to achieve that aim the catch Employment in the fishing industry rate must be based on scientific has been affected as well. It has information gathered by the member fallen in most Community member States on the production capacity of States, but particularly in Germany, Community waters. the Netherlands, and the United The total quota would allow for Kingdom. Iceland's action in uni­ any reciprocal deals with non­ laterally extending fisheries limits has member States and would be divided affected the German as well as the between EEC countries so that a British industry. The small rural country which accounted for, say, communities which depend so heavily 40 per cent of the Community catch on fishing - for example in Brittany, of cod during a past reference period Ireland, South-West England, and would be entitled to the same Scotland - are particularly vulnerable proportion in future. Thus a cutback to the changes confronting the fishing in fishing for one member State in industry. The Italian fishing fleet, third country waters would be too, which is one of the largest in reflected in a reduction in other the Community, has many boats member States too. A special reserve that are too small or too old to would be set for inshore fishermen. provide adequate income. Dr Hughes said in his European The changes which the industry is Parliament report that dangers of suffering thus affect fishermen in stock depletion would grow enor­ most member States, so it is logical mously when the deep water fleet that they should be tackled on a had its traditional fishing grounds Community basis. closed by third countries, such as The Commission is proposing Iceland, Norway and Tunisia extend­ measures to the Council of Ministers ing their fishing limits. 'The deep sea for helping the industry to cope with fleet will be forced to turn towards these problems. Similar proposals waters now used by the inshore have already been made for in-shore fishermen and its more sophisticated fisheries. They would provide help equipment will increase enormously for those who wished to retire early, the problem of over-fishing.' In fact, compensate owners who wanted to some 370,000 tonnes of the British take older boats out of the fishing catch came from foreign waters in industry and encourage investment 1973-about one-third of the UK total. in modern boats and on-shore But all Community fishermen are facilities. The programme for the feeling the impact of change. During deep water fleet might cost the the difficult period from the summer Community 400m units of account of 1973 to the summer of 1974, over five years.

16 I European Community October/November 1976