EN Official Journal of the European Union C 143/3

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 22 May 2013

derogating from a threshold set in Council Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 for Union financial assistance in relation to aid measures provided for by Italy for the temporary cessation of fishing activities

2013/C 143/03

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 of 27 July 2006 on the European Fisheries Fund (1), and in particular Article 24(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 24(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 provides that the financial contribution from the European Fisheries Fund to certain aid measures for the temporary cessation of fishing activities may not exceed 6 % of the Union financial assistance allocated to the fisheries sector in the Member State concerned. However, according to that Article, the threshold of 6 % may be increased by Commission decision.

(2) On 19 October 2012 Italy requested, through the computer system for data exchange, that the threshold be increased to 9 % for aid measures granted by Italy for the temporary cessation of fishing activities.

(3) The request submitted by Italy concerns support from the European Fisheries Fund as regards public aid to fishers and owners of fishing vessels for temporary cessation measures adopted on the basis of Article 24(1)(v) of Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 in the context of management plans adopted at national level within the framework of Union conservation measures which provide for gradual reductions of fishing effort. The national management plans for the Mediterranean fleet of trawlers adopted on 20 May 2011 provide, in accordance with Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea (2), for measures imposing gradual reductions of fishing effort.

(4) The increase of the threshold from 6 % to 9 % has been requested by Italy, on the basis of past tenders and resulting expenditures, to provide sufficient financial allocations for the call for tenders covering the period running from 2013 to 2015.

(5) Considering the situation of crisis of the fleet concerned and the increased number of economic operators ceasing fishing activities in that fleet, Italy has the need to attain and go beyond the overcapacity reduction objectives set out in the operational programme for Community assistance from the European Fisheries Fund in Italy for the programming period 2007-2013, which will be adjusted following the adoption of this Decision.

(6) The allocations for temporary cessation of fishing activities under the operational programme for Community assistance from the European Fisheries Fund in Italy for the programming period 2007-2013, as approved by Commission Decision C(2007) 6792 of 19 December 2007, have almost been exhausted and additional allocations for temporary cessation of 8 % pursuant to the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 744/2008 (3) are no longer applicable.

(7) The financial contribution from the European Fisheries Fund to temporary cessation measures pursuant to Article 24(1)(i) to (vi) of Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 should therefore be increased to a maximum of 9 % of the Union financial assistance allocated to the fisheries sector in Italy.

(8) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the European Fisheries Fund Committee,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

For Italy, the threshold of 6 % set in Article 24(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 for the Union financial contribution to aid measures for the temporary cessation of fishing activities may be exceeded up to 9 % of the Union financial assistance allocated to that Member State by Commission Decision C(2007) 6792 of 19 December 2007, provided that the amount of the Union financial contribution exceeding the 6 % threshold is used exclusively to implement aid measures for the temporary cessation of fishing activities based on Article 24(1)(v) of Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006, in the framework of management plans adopted at national level under Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 for the Mediterranean fleet of trawlers on 20 May 2011.

Done at Brussels, 22 May 2013. For the Commission Maria DAMANAKI Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 223, 15.8.2006, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 409, 30.12.2006, p. 11.

(3) OJ L 202, 31.7.2008, p. 1.