Vol. 403 No. 9
35 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Marine the reason information on the wholesale market of frozen fish products, necessary to establish pricing and trading with third countries was not supplied by the Government when requested by the EC Commission; his views on whether this information could be obtained relatively easily when catches are unloaded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
This country is required under various Regulations to supply specified statistical data on prices etc. in the fishing sector to the European Commission.
Ireland's performance in complying with these regulations was the subject of a number of complaints from the European Commission and legal proceedings were initiated against Ireland in February 1988 in relation to the provision of data on wholesale prices for products frozen on board ship, products frozen on land and fresh fish products.
During the course of the proceedings the Commission dropped its complaints regarding Ireland's failure to supply data in respect of both categories of frozen product. It had become apparent that the collection of data in respect of products frozen on land had created very real difficulties in the majority of member states. In addition, in Ireland's case it was recognised by the Commission that the facility to freeze products on board ship did not exist at the time of the initiation of the proceedings.
