§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Donoughue on 19 November 1997 (WA 80), whether they will give examples of possible exceptions to the principle of free and equal access to community waters on socio-economic, biological and environmental grounds after the year 2002: how and by whom such exceptions would he identified: and which institution of the European Community would decide that any exception should be implemented. [HL200]
§ Lord DonoughueExamples of exceptions to the principle of free and equal access to Community waters for fisheries purposes are the waters within member states' 12-mile fishery limits and within the Shetland Box. A decision on the former after 2002 will require a qualified majority of the Council of Ministers on a new proposal from the European Commission. The latter, on the other hand, will continue to apply automatically unless the European Commission proposes to change it and secures the support of a qualified majority of the Council.