Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee^f1,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure^f2,

Whereas:

Regulation (EU) No 1236/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f3 implements in Union law the provisions of the Scheme of control and enforcement (‘the Scheme’) established by a recommendation adopted by the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) at its annual meeting on 15 November 2006, and subsequently amended by several recommendations at its annual meetings in November 2007, November 2008 and November 2009.

At its annual meeting in November 2012, NEAFC adopted Recommendation 15:2013 amending Article 13 of the Scheme, concerning the communication of transhipments and of port of landing. At its subsequent annual meeting in November 2013, NEAFC adopted Recommendation 9:2014 amending Articles 1, 20 to 25 and 28 of the Scheme, concerning, respectively, the definitions, a number of provisions applying to port state control of foreign fishing vessels and the infringement procedures. At its annual meeting in November 2014, NEAFC adopted Recommendation 12:2015 amending Recommendation 9:2014 with respect to Articles 22 and 23 of the Scheme on port state control of foreign fishing vessels.

Under Articles 12 and 15 of the Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the North-East Atlantic Fisheries, approved by Council Decision 81/608/EEC^f4, Recommendation 15:2013 entered into force on 8 February 2013.

Recommendation 9:2014, as amended by Recommendation 12:2015, entered into force on 1 July 2015. Since Recommendation 9:2014 became binding on the Contracting Parties on that date, it is appropriate to align the date of application of certain provisions of this Regulation with the date of application of that Recommendation.

It is necessary to implement those Recommendations in Union law. Regulation (EU) No 1236/2010 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: