{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2003-1984/article-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2003-1984/article-4.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2003/1984",
  "legislation_title": "Council Regulation (EC) No 1984/2003 of 8 April 2003 introducing a system for the statistical monitoring of trade in bluefin tuna swordfish and bigeye tuna within the Community",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2003-1984",
  "path": "article/4",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Statistical document for importation",
  "text": "1. It is prohibited for a person to import swordfish or bigeye tuna unless—\n(a) the fish is accompanied by—\n(i) a statistical document which has been validated by—\naa) the licensing authority of the UK fishing boat transhipping the fish in accordance with Article 7a, or\nbb) the competent authorities of the State that licensed the fishing boat landing or transhipping the fish or the exporting State in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 2, and\n(ii) in the case of fish which has previously been imported into another State, a re-export certificate which has been validated by the competent authorities of the re-exporting State, and\n(b) in the case of fish which was caught, not including by-catch, in the ICCAT Convention area by a fishing boat of 20 metres in length overall or greater, the fish was caught by an ICCAT authorised fishing boat.\n2. A statistical document must:\n(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(b) be validated:\n(i)where the fishing has been carried out by a vessel: by a civil servant duly approved by the flag State of the vessel which carries out the fishing or by any other person or institution duly approved by that State. In the case of the ... countries listed in Annex IVb, validation may be undertaken by an institution recognised for that purpose by that country;\n(ii)where the fishing has been carried out using a trap net: by a civil servant duly approved by the State in whose territorial waters the catch has been taken;\n(iii)in the case of swordfish, bluefin tuna and bigeye tuna caught by a vessel operating under a charter agreement: by a civil servant or any other person or institution duly approved by the exporting State;\n(iv)in the case of bigeye tuna caught by one of the vessels listed in Annexes VIIIa and VIIIb: by a Japanese or Taiwanese government official or by any other person duly approved for that purpose by the Governments of those countries;\n(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n3. The statistical document must be delivered to the licensing authority for the area into which the fish is being imported.\n4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n5. The importation of swordfish or bigeye tuna is prohibited where the cargo concerned is not accompanied by the statistical document for the relevant importation, validated and completed in accordance with this Regulation.\n(6.) A person who contravenes the prohibition in paragraph 1 is guilty of an offence.\n(7.) Where a fishing boat lands or tranships in contravention of the prohibition in paragraph 1, the master, the owner and the charterer (if any) are each guilty of an offence.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Art. 4(1) substituted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in Art. 4(2) substituted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Art. 4(2)(a) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(b)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in Art. 4(2)(b)(i) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(b)(iii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Deleted by Regulation (EU) No 640/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 establishing a catch documentation programme for bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1984/2003."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Substituted by Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Art. 4(2)(c) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(b)(iv)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in Art. 4(3) substituted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Art. 4(4) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in Art. 4(5) substituted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(e)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in Art. 4(5) substituted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(e)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Art. 4(6)(7) inserted (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 3(5)(f)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2003/1984/article/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:55:51.603175+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}