Introductory text

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:

The Commission, in its letter of 9 October 2012, defined the priority areas to be funded by the Union in the framework of fisheries control programmes. Those priority areas include improvements in the control system of a Member State, measurements of engine power, and the traceability of fishery products. The Commission also specified in its letter of 14 May 2012 the requirements to be met by operators and Member States when carrying out investments in traceability projects.

Member States have submitted to the Commission their fisheries control programme for 2013, 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.

On that basis and given budgetary constraints, requests in the programmes for Union funding related to non-priority actions such as installation of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on board fishing vessels, those training projects having no link with improvements to be brought in the control systems of Member States, as well as the purchase or modernisation of fisheries patrol vessels and aircraft were rejected since they were not dedicated to the priority areas.

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.

As to traceability projects, it is important to ensure that they are developed on the basis of internationally recognised standards, as required by Article 67(8) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy^f2.

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 of 11 April 2007 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 as regards the expenditure incurred by Member States in implementing the monitoring and control systems applicable to the Common Fisheries Policy^f3.

The Commission has assessed the projects whose cost does not exceed EUR 40 000 VAT excluded, and has retained those for which it is justified to provide for Union co-financing in the light of the improvements they are likely to bring to the control system of the applicant Member States.

In order to encourage investment in the priority areas defined by the Commission and in view of the negative impact of the financial crisis on Member States’ budgets, expenditure related to those priority areas 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 qualify for the contribution, automatic localisation devices as well as electronic recording and reporting devices on board fishing vessels should satisfy the requirements established by Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: