A-Z of EU membership harmonization: Fishing; Foreign Policy; Gas

Fishing areas so far reserved only for Polish fishermen will be opened to all EU members with direct access to the Baltic sea. At the same time Poland will gain access to foreign fishing areas of other EU-Baltic countries. All fishing fleets will be subject to fishing quotas. Most of the cost of restructuring the Polish fishing fleet (around euro 180 million) will be covered by the EU. FOREIGN POLICY: Poland will participate in shaping EU foreign policy. Poles will have a say in issuing resolutions, including for example, on the war on terrorism. GAS: As of January 1, 2003 the Polish gas market became more liberalized. Customers using more than 25 million of cubic meters of gas will be free to choose their gas supplier. The limit will be lowered to 15 million cubic meters as of August 10, 2003. The European Commission wants to fully open the gas market before the end of 2005. (Rzeczpospolita, Dec 14-15, p. A3) J.K.