§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2000,Official Report, column 259W, on the inter-Governmental conference, in what manner applicant states will be permitted (a) to operate fisheries within community waters and (b) otherwise to participate in execution of common policies. [124373]
§ Mr. Vaz(a) Negotiations on Fisheries have started with six applicant countries (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia). The EU Common Positions agreed for these negotiations will make clear that all new member states will be expected to apply the Common Fisheries Policy in full and that access to fisheries resources within. EU waters will be based on the principle of relative stability, which allocates national quotas according to historic catch levels. In their position papers, these countries have accepted the principle of relative stability and are only seeking to maintain access to stocks and waters which they already fish.
(b) The participation of new member states in the execution of Common Policies will be determined in the accession negotiations. At the opening of the accession negotiations with Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia on 31 March 1998 during the UK Presidency, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid down the principles for negotiation, emphasising the necessity of "full acceptance of the actual and potential rights and obligations attaching to the Union system and its institutional framework, known as the 'acquis' of the Union". This principle covers all the Common Policies of the EU. The applicant's acceptance of the 'acquis' may give rise to technical adjustments, and exceptionally to non-permanent transitional measures. The same principles govern the accession negotiations with Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia, which began in February.