HC Deb 16 July 2003 vol 409 cc397-8W
Mr. Michael Jabez Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the reference within the draft constitution prepared by the Convention on the Future of Europe to the European Union having exclusive competence over the conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy covers exclusive competence within the (a) six-mile and (b) 12-mile limits. [125712]

Mr. MacShane

The European Community has had exclusive competence over the conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) since 1979. This includes the six and 12-mile limit.

However, under CFP Regulation EC 2371/2002 the Community permits member states to take their own measures on the conservation of marine resources within the six and 12-mile limit provided they conform with the Common Fisheries Policy. If the proposed measures are likely to have a discriminatory effect on vessels of another member state then the Commission and the relevant member state(s) need to be consulted in advance.

The draft EU Constitutional Treaty does not alter this situation.