Commission Implementing Decision of 11 July 2011 on a Union financial contribution towards Member States’ fisheries control, inspection and surveillance programmes for 2011 (notified under document C(2011) 4852) (Only the Bulgarian, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish texts are authentic) (2011/431/EU)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 of 22 May 2006 establishing Community financial measures for the implementation of the common fisheries policy and in the area of the Law of the Sea^f1, and in particular Article 21 thereof,

Whereas:

Member States have submitted to the Commission their fisheries control programmes for 2011, in accordance with Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 861/2006, inclusive of the applications for a Union financial contribution towards the expenditure to be incurred in carrying out the projects contained in such programme.

Applications concerning actions listed in Article 8(a) of Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 may qualify for Union funding.

The applications for Union funding have been assessed with regard to their compliance with the rules set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No 391/2007^f2.

It is appropriate to fix the maximum amounts and the rate of the Union financial contribution within the limits set by Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 and to lay down the conditions under which such contribution may be granted.

In order to encourage investment in the priority actions defined by the Commission in its letter of 6 December 2010^f3, which announced that priority and higher contribution rates would be given to projects required by the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy^f4, and in view of the negative impact of the financial crisis on Member States’ budgets, expenditure related to automation and management of data, electronic recording and reporting systems, electronic recording and reporting devices (ERS) and vessel monitoring systems (VMS), as well as to traceability and control of engine power should benefit from a high co-financing rate, within the limits laid down in Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 861/2006.

In order to encourage investments in the priorities defined by the Commission and given budgetary constraints, all the Member States’ applications for a Union financial contribution towards projects related to training, to initiatives raising awareness of CFP rules as well as to the purchase and modernisation of fisheries patrol vessels and aircraft were rejected.

In order to qualify for the contribution, automatic localisation devices should satisfy the requirements fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2244/2003 of 18 December 2003 laying down detailed provisions regarding satellite-based Vessel Monitoring Systems^f5.

In order to qualify for the contribution, electronic recording and reporting devices on board fishing vessels should satisfy the requirements laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1077/2008 of 3 November 2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1966/2006 on electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities and on means of remote sensing and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1566/2007^f6.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: