Samtök eigenda sjávarjarða.
(Association of Coastal Property Owners)
PO Box 90,
780 Hornafjördur,
Iceland.
Mr Percy Westerlund,
Director,External Relations,
Directorate C, European CommunitiesRue De la Loi 200,
1049 Brussel,
Belgium.
Iceland 20th January 2003.
Dear Mr Westerlund,
Re: EEA-enlargement negotiations and fishing rights and ownership of the fishery resources in Icelandic waters.
I refer to my letter to you, dated 13th December 2002.
I have informed the EFTA Surveillance Authority of my letter to Dr Fischler, dated 7th November 2002. Enclosed is a copy of my letter to Mr Holmquist, dated 27th December 2002, which I wrote after Mr Holmquist replied my letter to Dr Fischler.
As we informed you, the coastal property owners are partial owners of Iceland’s fishery jurisdiction (the economic zone). This property has not been divided among the owners.
As the matters stands, the fact is that according to Icelandic law, the Icelandic state and the Icelandic government do not represent the private owners of these properties in any negotiations between the EU and Iceland in any matters concerning the fishery jurisdiction.
It is absolutely clear that the Icelandic authorities do not have the agency and authority to discuss the private matters of the coastal property owners according to international law. Any discussion between the European Union and the Icelandic State, which might concern the undivided fisheries jurisdiction around Iceland and have a bearing on the ownership of the resources (e.g. regarding investments by EU parties in fishery activities around Iceland, etc.), would therefore have no validity.
We should be grateful if this issue could be mentioned and discussed during your next meeting with the representatives of Iceland, regarding the EEA enlargement, which is planned for later this month or in the beginning of February 2003. If any meetings are to be held in Iceland concerning these matters, we should welcome the opportunity to meet you and discuss these matters further.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the Icelandic Association of Coastal Property Owners,
_________________________
Ómar Antonsson, Chairman.
Enclosed:
Letter, dated 27th December 2002, to Mr Jörgen Holmquist, Director General.