Madrid bid to net fish deal handout risks being sunk

Date: 31/05/01

By David Cronin

THE European Commission looks set to reject Madrid's requests for h540 million to compensate the Spanish fleet for loss of fishing rights in Moroccan waters because it views the amount sought as excessive.Diplomats say both the Budget and Fisheries Commissioners, Michaele Schreyer and Franz Fischler, are not happy with Spain's proposal for modernising and restructuring 326 of its country's vessels which can no longer operate off Morocco after efforts to reach a new fisheries accord between the EU and the North African state collapsed in March.

In a proposal recently submitted to the Union's executive, Spain contends that h240 million should be allocated from the structural funds and an additional h300 million from other EU sources to help cushion the blow for the estimated 2,000 fishermen and vessel owners affected. The issue is expected to be discussed by the Union's marine ministers in Luxembourg on 18 June.

Fischler's spokesman Gregor Kreuzhuber said the Commission would honour the terms of the declaration at last year's Nice summit that aid should be set aside for fleets hurt by the failure to secure a new EU-Morocco deal. "But we first have to look into whether the information provided by Spain is satisfactory. We can't just accept the politically-motivated figures thrown at us."

Although there is widespread recognition that coastal communities in southern Spain are enduring increased hardship due to restrictions on where their fishermen may go, Brussels officials believe Madrid is overstating the extent of the problems. "We've heard that many of the boats based off Morocco are now fishing in other waters," explained one.

Another factor that runs counter to Madrid's chances of having its wish granted is that the sum requested exceeds the h500 million paid by the Union to Rabat between 1995 and 1999 in return for granting EU fleets access to its waters under the previous fisheries agreement, which Morocco claimed had an adverse effect on its economic development.

A spokeswoman for Spain's representation in Brussels said it wants a prompt reply from the Commission to its proposals.

The European Commission looks set to reject Madrid's requests for €540 million to compensate the Spanish fleet for loss of fishing rights in Moroccan waters because it views the amount sought as excessive.