Brussels

NEW charges will be levied on the struggling fishing industry after British Ministers voted for them, despite opposition from other EU states, it became clear last night.

Dr Allan Macartney, SNP Euro-MP for the fishing constituency of North-east Scotland, said the Government had effectively imposed a charge of #4m a year on the already crisis-ridden industry at a time when it was supposed to be fighting for a better deal for fishermen.

But Government officials disputed his claim, and said the new deal would cost much less because flexibility had been built into the new system.

Farm ministers, led by Britain's Douglas Hogg, agreed to the deal in Luxembourg earlier this week. From mid-1999, the cost of veterinary checks will apply to fish catches in the same way as they now apply to fresh meat, live animals and other meat products.

The European Union's idea is to harmonise these charges to remove distortions in competition. The charges are currently paid from local authority funds but must in future be covered by the industry itself. Most observers believe the costs will fall on the fish-processing sector.

The issue has rumbled on in Brussels for months after Euro-MPs demanded to be consulted. Although the European Parliament has no power to intervene, its influential fisheries committee came down strongly against the idea.

Ministers failed to agree after it became obvious the Germans, Spanish and Swedes were opposed. Germany protested that the charges did not amount to true harmonisation.

But the three nations combined could muster only 22 votes in the council, four short of a blocking minority, and the deal went through with British support on a qualified majority vote.

The parliament's president, Mr Klaus Hansch, wrote to the council yesterday demanding to know how it had come to a decision on the issue which, he insisted, was in breach of an earlier agreement.

Commission officials said the deal was now done, although it still had to be formally confirmed.