Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96 of 6 May 1996 introducing additional conditions for year-to-year management of TACs and quotas^f1, and in particular Article 4(2) thereof,

Whereas:

According to Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96, Member States may ask the Commission, before 31 October of the year of application of a fishing quota allocated to them, to withhold a maximum of 10 % of that quota to be transferred to the following year. The Commission is to add to the relevant quota the quantity withheld.

Council Regulation (EU) No 1225/2010 of 13 December 2010 fixing for 2011 and 2012 the fishing opportunities for EU vessels for fish stocks of certain deep-sea fish species^f2, Council Regulation (EU) No 1124/2010 of 29 November 2010 fixing for 2011 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Baltic Sea^f3, Council Regulation (EU) No 1256/2010 of 17 December 2010 fixing the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks applicable in the Black Sea for 2011^f4 and Council Regulation (EU) No 57/2011 of 18 January 2011 fixing for 2011 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in EU waters and, for EU vessels, in certain non-EU waters^f5 fix fishing quotas for certain stocks for 2011 and specify which stocks may be subject to the measures provided for in Regulation (EC) No 847/96.

Regulation (EU) No 1225/2010, Council Regulation (EU) No 1256/2011 of 30 November 2011 fixing for 2012 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Baltic Sea and amending Regulation (EU) No 1124/2010^f6, Council Regulation (EU) No 5/2012 of 19 December 2011 fixing for 2012 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Black Sea^f7, Council Regulation (EU) No 43/2012 of 17 January 2012 fixing for 2012 the fishing opportunities available to EU vessels for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks which are not subject to international negotiations or agreements^f8 and Council Regulation (EU) No 44/2012 of 17 January 2012 fixing for 2012 the fishing opportunities available in EU waters and, to EU vessels, in certain non-EU waters for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks which are subject to international negotiations or agreements^f9 fix fishing quotas for certain stocks for 2012.

Certain Member States have requested, before 31 October 2011, pursuant to Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96, that part of their quotas for 2011 be withheld and transferred to the following year. Within the limits indicated in that Regulation, the quantities withheld should be added to the quota for 2012.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: