- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 22nd September 1961 (11th Sitting) (see Doc. 1318, Report of the Committee on Agriculture). Text adopted by the Assembly on 22nd September 1961 (11th Sitting).
1. The Assembly thanks the OEEC for the clear survey of its activities relating to fisheries contained in its comments on
Recommendation 198 (Doc. 1112), and notes with satisfaction that, by and large, these activities follow the lines suggested in the Assembly's Recommendation.
2. The Assembly is, however, concerned to note that the main features of the European fisheries situation as set out in the Conclusions of the Report of its Committee on Agriculture of 16th March 1959 (
Doc. 963) have not undergone any substantial improvements. The need for combined and efficient action therefore remains and the Assembly believes that it still has an important function to perform in supporting further the efforts undertaken by OEEC and its subsidiary bodies. The Assembly notes with approval the establishment by OEEC of a confrontation procedure on fishing policies. In order to be better equipped for its task, the Assembly expresses the wish that regular reports on the consultations among member and associated countries be submitted to it for consideration.
3. The Assembly is of the opinion that the lack of expansion of intra-European trade in most fish products is not primarily caused by a real surplus situation, but - apart from trade restrictions - by deficiencies in the internal distribution systems still prevailing in many countries. It therefore welcomes and again endorses the activities of the European Productivity Agency in this field. In particular, it believes that Governments should review the possibilities of contributing to the improvement of fish auctions, transport, quality control, and of ensuring adequate supply in all areas. The Assembly wishes, here and now, to express its particular appreciation of the efforts made by the European Productivity Agency to create pilot cold-chains and is of the opinion that such a system has a very important part to play in improving the structure of distribution in the food sector.
4. The Assembly considers the harmonisation of production and trade policies on the one hand, and the encouragement of consumption, on the other hand, a precondition of any long-term improvement of the outlets on the Western European market for certain OEEC countries depending heavily on fisheries.
5. In studying the question of fisheries in Europe, the Assembly's attention has been drawn particularly to the situation of Iceland, whose economy depends almost entirely on the fishing industry and over 90 per cent of whose exports consist of fish and fish products. The Assembly is convinced that only small changes are necessary to alleviate the situation of the Icelandic fisheries industries, thereby recognising the collective responsibility of member Governments for the development of a prosperous economy in all Western European countries.
6. The Assembly believes that the improvement of the living standards of the fishing communities must, in the long run, be sought by adapting the structure of the industry to its economic potentialities and ventures to suggest that Governments review the possibilities of bringing the structure of the fishing industries into closer alignment with general economic developments.
7. Recognising the ever-increasing need for international co-operation in the field of conservation of the fish stock, the Assembly expresses its interest in a speedy ratification by all Parties to the North East Atlantic Fisheries Convention which was signed in London in January 1959 by twelve OEEC countries, the Soviet Union and Poland.
8. The Assembly notes with satisfaction that a standard classification for fishery products and other improvements in fishery statistics are the subject of discussions within the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Considering the importance of these problems and of an agreed definition of quality standards for food, the Assembly hopes that FAO will keep it informed of the progress achieved in this direction.
9. Finally, the Assembly, believing that the European Economic Community has not yet undertaken a systematic study of the problem of fisheries on the same scale as that of agriculture, and considering that there are aspects of the question which directly concern the Common Market and about which the other European countries would be glad to have information on the policy of the Community, expresses the hope that the European Economic Community will examine the possibility of undertaking a study of the principal problems relating to fisheries in the Common Market, with a view to a possible extension of this study to the other countries of Western Europe.
