{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2005-485/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2005-485/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2005/485",
  "legislation_title": "Council Regulation (EC) No 485/2005 of 16 March 2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 as regards a specific action for transfers of vessels to countries hit by the tsunami in 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2005-485",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Regulation (EC) No 485/2005\nof 16 March 2005\namending Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 as regards a specific action for transfers of vessels to countries hit by the tsunami in 2004\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 37 thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the Commission,\nHaving regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nOn 26 December 2004, a strong tsunami in the Indian Ocean struck a number of third countries, ravaging their coasts and their industries and causing heavy loss of life. Many fishing vessels were wrecked at sea or destroyed in port.\n(2)\nWithin the framework of the common fisheries policy, fishing vessels can be withdrawn from the Community fishing fleet with public aid only if they are scrapped or reassigned for non-profitable purposes other than fishing.\n(3)\nIt is appropriate to extend the possibility of withdrawal of fishing vessels from the Community fishing fleet with public aid to vessels which are transferred to the countries affected by the tsunami for the benefit of the fishing communities concerned.\n(4)\nThis would help those communities to rebuild their fishing fleets swiftly, taking into account local needs as recorded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.\n(5)\nTo meet the needs of those communities, only vessels which are fully seaworthy, suitable for fishing activity and of an overall length of less than 12 metres should be eligible for the measures provided for by this Regulation.\n(6)\nIt is appropriate to provide for the grant of an additional premium to cover the expenses incurred by public or private organisations for the transport of the vessels to the third countries and to compensate owners for equipping their vessels and making them fully seaworthy.\n(7)\nA procedure for the transfer of vessels should be set up.\n(8)\nReports on steps taken under this Regulation should be submitted by the Member States and by the Commission in order to guarantee transparency of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds.\n(9)\nIt is particularly useful to assess the transfers to ensure that the measures are implemented to the benefit of the fishing communities concerned, to ensure consistency with the general principles of the common fisheries policy and promote long-term sustainability of fishing activities and to avoid negative effects on the local economy.\n(10)\nGiven the urgency of the matter, it is imperative to grant an exception to the six-week period referred to in paragraph I(3) of the Protocol on the role of the national parliaments in the European Union, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaties establishing the European Communities.\n(11)\nRegulation (EC) No 2792/1999 should therefore be amended accordingly,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Opinion delivered on 24 February 2005 (not yet published in the Official Journal)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 173/2005 (OJ L 29, 2.2.2005, p. 3)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "OJ L 337, 30.12.1999, p. 10. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1421/2004 (OJ L 260, 6.8.2004, p. 1)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2005/485/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:54:44.644931+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."
}