Breakthrough in negotiations allows EU boats into Baltic Sea fishing areas

In a significant breakthrough in its European Union (EU) accession talks, Poland has agreed to open its coastal waters in the southern Baltic Sea to EU fishing boats. In return, Polish fishermen can expect easier access to the EU's euro 500 million annual budget for modernizing fishing fleets. The EU is also committed to guaranteeing that Poland will be able to sell all the fish it catches on EU markets at a set price. Poland catches some 250,000 tons of fish annually, half the amount of 10 years ago. Polish fishing companies will also be granted access to deep-sea fishing areas, such as those off the coast of Canada. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B2) A.K.