Commission Report 2002 (Slovakia)

• Progress since the last Regular Report
• Overall assessment
• Conclusion

Chapter 8: Fisheries

Progress since the last Regular Report

Slovakia has achieved further progress in this sector both in legislative and institutional terms.

Slovakia brought its legislation in line with the acquis as regards resource management, inspection and control, import and transport of fish and fish products by the adoption of the Act on Fisheries in February 2002, the amendment to the Act on Foodstuffs in December 2001 and the adoption of the Act on Market Organisations in October 2001.

With regard to the market policy, Slovakia has reached alignment with the acquis by adopting the framework Act on Veterinary Care in July 2002.

No new developments can be reported in the field of structural actions. Slovakia further advanced in strengthening the administrative capacity in this sector. On the basis of the amendment of the Act on Foodstuffs, the State Veterinary Administration was transformed into the State Veterinary and Food Administration with the responsibility for inspection and control of domestic production and imported fish, as well as for the training of inspectors. Also the administrative capacity in the Department for Animal Commodities at the Ministry of Agriculture was further reinforced by the recruitment of one additional employee in 2002.

No particular developments are to be reported in the areas of state aid to the fisheries sector and international fisheries agreements.

Overall assessment

Since Slovakia is a landlocked country, only parts of the acquis on fisheries are applicable to it. Slovakia has not yet completed the legal framework for the establishment of the paying agency, which is necessary with a view to implementing structural actions. Slovakia should also further reinforce administrative capacity with regard to market policy and programming and project selection within the fisheries structural policy framework.

Conclusion

In its 1997 Opinion, the Commission concluded that Slovakia would not encounter any major difficulties in integrating its fisheries sector into the Common Fisheries Policy. However, the Commission stressed that it would be necessary for Slovakia to ensure compliance with the EC´s health, hygiene and environmental standards.

Since the Opinion, Slovakia has consistently progressed and alignment with the acquis in this sector is largely satisfactory. The necessary administrative structures are broadly in place.

Negotiations on this chapter have been provisionally closed. Slovakia has not requested any transitional arrangements in this area. Slovakia is generally meeting the commitments it has made in the accession negotiations in this field.

In order to complete preparations for membership, Slovakia's efforts now need to focus on further reinforcing its capacity for implementation and enforcement, in particular with regard to the administration of future structural actions under the Common Fisheries Policy.

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