G/SCM/Q2/EU/83  
 
1 September 2022  
(22-6537) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  Original: English  
 
SUBSIDIES  
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONS POSED BY AUSTRALIA1  
REGARDING THE NEW AND FULL NOTIFICATION  
OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ( GREECE )2 
The following communication, dated and received on 31 August 2022, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegation of the European Union.  
 
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FISHERIES & MARITIME OPERATIONAL PROGRAM FOR 2014 -2020  
1 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES – MEASURES  
This program includes grants for modernization of fishing vessels and to improve the 
energy e fficiency of vessels. The program distinguishes between the size of enterprises: 
"very small, small and medium sized enterprises", "bigger enterprises" and "small -scale 
coastal fishing with fishing vessels of an overall length of less than 12 meters and no t 
using towed fishing gear".  
Question 1  
What are the definitions under the regulations for these categories of enterprises?  
Reply : 
Categories of enterprises are defined according to 2003/361/EC Commission Recommendation:  
- "Very small, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)": enterprises which employ fewer 
than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million, and/or 
an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.  
Within the SME cate gory, a small enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 
50 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed 
EUR 10 million.  
Within the SME category, a microenterprise is defined as an enterprise whic h employs fewer than 
10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed 
EUR 2 million.  
- "bigger enterprises": bigger than SME enterprises  
Small -scale coastal fishing  with fishing vessels of an overall length of less than 12 meters and not 
using towed fishing gear  is defined according to Article 3 of Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 of the 
European Parliament and the Council:  
 
1 G/SCM/Q2/EU/6 9 
2 G/SCM/N/372/EU/A dd.12 G/SCM/Q2/EU/83  
 
- 2 - 
 
  - (14) "small -scale coastal fishing" means fishing carried out by fishing vessels of an overall 
length of less than 12 metres and not using towed fishing gear as listed in Table 3 of Annex  I 
to Commission Regulation (EC) No 26/2004  
Question 2  
Are these grants contingent on where the fishing takes place?  
Reply : 
No, the grants are not contingent on where th e fishing takes place.  
Question 3  
Are there prerequisites or conditionalities for receipt of these grants? For example, are 
the grants approved subject to a fishing vessel increasing its capacity and length of period 
at sea?  
According to Regulation (EU) No  508/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council:  
- The grants are approved under the condition that fishing capacity is not increased.  
Other additional prerequisites or conditionalities:  
- Support for investments on board or in individual equipment aiming  to improve hygiene, 
health, safety and working conditions for fishermen, can be granted provided that those 
investments go beyond the requirements under Union or national law  
- Where the operation consists of an investment on board, aiming to improve hygien e, health, 
safety and working conditions for fishermen, the support shall not be granted more than 
once during the programming period for the same type of investment and for the same 
fishing vessel. Where the operation consists of an investment in individu al equipment,  
aiming to improve hygiene, health, safety and working conditions for fishermen, the support 
shall not be granted more than once during the programming period for the same type of 
equipment and for the same beneficiary.  
- Aiming to mitigate the effects of climate change and to improve the energy efficiency of 
fishing vessels, the support shall only be granted to owners of fishing vessels and shall not 
be granted more than once for the same type of investment during the programming period 
for the same fishing vessel  
- Innovative investments on board that improve the quality of the fishery products aiming to 
improve the added value or quality of the fish caught are supported only to owners of fishing 
vessels of the Greek Fleet Register, that have carr ied out a fishing activity at sea for at least 
60 days during the two calendar years preceding the date of submission of the application 
for support  
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