Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-28-Speech-4-137"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.19991028.4.4-137"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Varela, as you know, on 15 October the Council finally accepted the mandate for the commencement of negotiations with the Kingdom of Morocco. For our part, all the arrangements to be able to start these negotiations had been made a long time ago. Thank you, Mr Varela, for the good luck you wished me in this matter. Since it is more to do with ships, perhaps it would be more appropriate, rather than wishing for me to take the bull by the horns, to take the helm, using the more nautical expression.
The objective of these negotiations is to seek new forms of cooperation in the fisheries sector together, which are in harmony with the development of the Moroccan fisheries sector and with maintaining the catch capacity of the European fleet. As you also know, in spite of all the efforts undertaken on the part of the Commission, and in part by my predecessor, Morocco has still not wished to hold any exploratory meetings. Consequently, on the occasion of the meeting which you already mentioned, Mr Varela, on 21 October with Prime Minister Youssoufi, I offered to take up the negotiations in Morocco personally. In the meantime, the Moroccan authorities have approached us with regard to setting a definitive deadline. Since it has been mentioned, I would also like to point out that I have been invited to participate at the meeting of the Committee on Fisheries on 29 November. That is the date that was set. To be perfectly frank I envisage some problems there, as at that time I am also required to be in Seattle for the opening of the WTO Millennium Round. I would therefore ask you to understand that we shall either have to postpone this meeting or you will have to hold your Committee meeting without me.
I absolutely agree with you that we must spare no effort in order to successfully sign this agreement. But we all know, too, that it is going to be tremendously difficult, and you mentioned the discussions on this matter with the Moroccans last week. I attended some of these talks myself, and I had to observe that up to now the Moroccans’ attitude towards us has been anything but positive. I would also like to go into one other matter, and this concerns what should happen after November, after the agreement has expired, if the discontinuation of fishing activity is enforced. The Commission intends accordingly to apply the possible terms of Community law in favour of the crews and fishery firms affected. But the legal basis for applying these, especially after December, will be the new structural measures. It will therefore be important for an appropriate decision to be taken in Council in good time so that we have a legal basis for having available, at least, an instrument to be able to guarantee financial support to the fishing firms and fishermen affected in that event."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples