CELEX: 51995PC0243
Language: en
Date: 1995-06-09
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on a Community financial contribution towards certain expenditures incurred by the Member States in implementing the monitoring and control system applicable to the common fisheries policy

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51995PC0243

Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on a Community financial contribution towards certain expenditures incurred by the Member States in implementing the monitoring and control system applicable to the common fisheries policy  /* COM/95/243 FINAL - CNS 95/0142 */  

Official Journal C 186 , 20/07/1995 P. 0009

Proposal for a Council Decision on a Community financial  contribution towards certain expenditures incurred by the Member States in implementing the  monitoring and control system applicable to the common fisheries policy(95/C  186/06)(Text with  EEA relevance)COM(95) 243 final - 95/0142(CNS)(Submitted by the Commission on 12 June  1995)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43  thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, Whereas Council Decision 89/631/EEC of 27 November 1989 on a Community financial contribution  towards expenditure incurred by Member States for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the  Community system for the conservation and management of fishery resources  (1), as last amended by  Decision 94/207/EC  (2), and in particular Article 1 (5) thereof, provides that the Council must  adopt, before 30 June 1995, the provisions for Community financial assistance which could apply  from 1 January 1996; Whereas the common fisheries policy, which guarantees the long-term existence of fishery stocks and  thus employment in the sector, can achieve its objectives only if its rules are complied with and  effectively controlled; Whereas those objectives and rules are primarily established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92  of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture  (3) and by  Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to  the common fisheries policy  (4); Whereas the Member States, by guaranteeing the implementation of the control system applicable to  the common fisheries policy, are carrying out an obligation of Community interest; Whereas for some Member States the scale of the enforcement task is unrelated to budget capacity  and may in certain cases constitute a disproportionate burden; Whereas it is therefore appropriate to provide for a contribution by the Community towards certain  inspection and monitoring expenditures incurred by some Member States; Whereas Article 7 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 685/95 of 27 March 1995 on the management of  fishing effort relating to certain Community fishing areas and resources  (5) provides for  additional Community financial support for Ireland, including support for operating expenditure,  for the purposes of improving controls, with due regard for authorized Community practices and in  the framework of financial guidelines; Whereas the total Community contribution should remain within the limits of a budget provision of  ECU 41 million per annum for a period of five years (1996 to 2000) and the corresponding financial  resources should be entered as annual appropriations in the general budget of the European  Communities; Whereas any such contribution should be conditional on the attainment, by the Member States which  are beneficiaries, of a satisfactory standard of enforcement both at sea and on land; whereas the  effectiveness of the enforcement must be made apparent in the annual report referred to in Article  35 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 1.  The Community may, under the conditions set out in this Decision,  contribute to the financing of certain expenditures by Member States relating to the implementation  of the control system applicable to the common fisheries policy provided for in Regulation (EEC) No  2847/93, as amended by Regulation (EC) No .  .  ./95. The following expenditure may be regarded as  eligible: (a) the acquisition or modernization of inspection and control equipment; (b) specific measures intended to improve the quality and effectiveness of the monitoring of  fishing and related activities, the duration of which does not exceed two years. This expenditure must contribute to the mobilization of monitoring facilities in accordance with  Article 1 (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93. 2.  The Community contribution shall relate to eligible expenditure incurred by Member States  between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2000. Eligible expenditure means the legal and financial undertakings entered into by national  authorities within the above period. 3.  The maximum amount of Community expenditure deemed necessary to carry out the scheme introduced  by this Decision shall be ECU 41 million per annum. 4.  The budgetary authority shall determine the available appropriations for each financial year.  The Community contribution shall be granted within the limits of the appropriations allocated to  that end in the Community budget. Article 2 1.  The financial contribution referred to in Article 1 (1) (a) shall cover investment  expenditure relating to the acquisition or modernization of: - vessels, aircraft and land vehicles employed in the monitoring and control of fishing  activities, - systems for the detection and recording of fishing activities (including equipment installed on  fishing vessels), - systems for the recording, management and transmission of data relating to controls, including  computer applications and software. The above expenditure shall be eligible on condition that it is actually used for the  implementation of the control system referred to in Article 1. 2.  The financial contribution referred to in Article 1 (1) (b) shall cover eligible expenditure  which is intended to increase the effectiveness of the application of the common fisheries policy  and relates to measures and projects not exceeding two years in duration and having the following  purposes: (a) the implementation of joint inspection programmes as referred to in Article 2 (4) of Regulation  (EEC) No  2847/93; (b) experiments with and the introduction of new technologies to improve the monitoring of fishing  and related activities; (c) the implementation of specific control programmes established by Community initiative and  carried out by the Member State(s) concerned; (d) programmes to computerize the processing and exchange of data developed by joint agreement  between several Member States and, where appropriate, the Commission; (e) other control measures of Community interest to be adopted at a later date. 3.  The financial contribution referred to in Article 1 (1) (b) may also relate to eligible  expenditure intended for the training of national officials connected with control activities, in  particular in a Member State other than that in which they work. Detailed rules for the application of this paragraph will be adopted in accordance with Article 18  of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries  and aquaculture. Article 3 1.  The Community financial contribution shall not exceed the following rates per  Member State and per annum: - 35  % of the amount of eligible expenditure referred to in Article 2 (1), - 50  % of the amount of eligible expenditure referred to in Article 2 (2) and (3). 2.  However, notwithstanding paragraph 1, the Commission may decide to grant a higher rate, in  particular in order to permit: - the realization of a joint measure by Member States and the Commission likely to remedy control  difficulties affecting an area of special Community interest, - experiments with and the introduction of new technologies to improve the monitoring of fishing  and related activities. The annual budget allocation reserved for such measures shall be limited to 15  % of the budget  allocation. 3.  The Commission may, notwithstanding paragraph 1, decide to grant a higher rate in order to  provide for additional financial support for Ireland for the purpose of improving controls,  including support for the following operating expenditure: - remuneration of national officials connected with monitoring and control activities and occupying  additional posts created after 1 January 1996 within the framework of a detailed programme, for a  period not exceeding one year, and relating to the inspection and control of specific fisheries and  zones; for the purposes of this paragraph, 'remuneration` means the salaries, less taxes and  charges levied in accordance with national legislation, of the officials concerned and the travel  allowances necessary for the carrying out of their duties, - costs relating to training and providing information for the national officials connected with  control activities, - costs incurred as a result of controls entrusted to surveillance companies. The financial support for operating expenditure for Ireland shall be granted up to a total amount  of ECU 2  million per annum. Article 4 1.  Member States wishing to benefit from a financial contribution shall forward to the  Commission, before 30 September 1995: (a) a five-year programme describing the controls which they intend to carry out during the period  referred to in Article 1 (2). The control programme must contain in particular the objectives of  the proposed control and inspection measures, the envisaged operational measures and the  anticipated results; (b) a programme of forecast annual expenditure for the period referred to in Article 1 (2) for  which they wish to receive a financial contribution from the Community. 2.  Every Member State shall forward to the Commission, for the first time in 1996 and each year  thereafter, a report on progress achieved with regard to forecasts and to the need to adjust the  control programme. That report shall form a special chapter in the report referred to in Article 35  of Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93. 3.  The information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 must enable the Commission to ensure adequate  monitoring of the expenditure relating to the implementation of the control system applicable to  the common fisheries policy. Article 5 1.  Member States wishing to benefit from a Community financial contribution towards  the expenditure referred to in Article 2 shall forward to the Commission, on the first occasion  before 30 September 1995 and subsequently before 31 May of each year, an application for funding  for the following year containing the information specified in points 1, 2 and 3 of the Annex  hereto. Applications received after those dates shall not be considered except in exceptional, duly  justified cases. 2.  The application for funding must be drawn up within the framework of the programmes referred to  in Article 4. Article 6 On the basis of information provided by the Member States, the Commission shall decide,  for the first time before 31 December 1995 and subsequently before 31  December of each year, in  accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 18 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92, on: - the eligibility of the planned expenditure, - the rare of the Community contribution, - any conditions to which the contribution may be subject. Article 7 At the reasoned request of a Member State, the Commission may grant advances up to a  maximum of 25  % of the Community's annual contribution. That advance shall be deducted from the  final amount of the Community contribution to the eligible expenditure actually incurred. Article 8 In the event that a Member State decides not to realize all or part of the expenditure  which the Commission has deemed eligible, in accordance with Article 6, it shall inform the  Commission thereof without delay giving details of the impact on its control programme. Article 9 1.  Member States shall present their applications for reimbursement of expenditure no  later than 31 May of the year following that during which the expenditure was incurred. 2.  When submitting an application for the reimbursement of expenditure, Member States should have  a national control authority verify and certify that the expenditure was incurred with due regard  to the conditions laid down in this Decision, in particular point 4 of the Annex hereto. 3.  If the application reveals indications that the conditions set out in paragraph 2 have not been  complied with, the Commission shall undertake a thorough examination of the case by asking the  Member State to forward its comments within a specific time limit. If the examination confirms that  the conditions have not been complied with the Commission shall set a suitable time limit for  compliance by the Member State. If, when the time limit has expired, the Member State has not acted  on the recommendations the Commission may reduce, suspend or cancel its contribution in the area of  assistance concerned. Article 10 Member States shall provide the Commission with any information which it may request  for the performance of its duties under this Decision. Member States shall provide the Commission with any information which will enable it to verify the  use of the surveillance and control faciliteis which have been the subject of a Community financial  contribution pursuant to this Decision. If the Commission considers that the facilities are not being used for the intended purpose or in  accordance with the conditions set out in this Decision, it shall inform the Member State  accordingly. The Member State shall then conduct an administrative inquiry in which Commission  officials may participate. The Member State shall inform the Commission of the progress and results  of the inquiry and provide the Commission without delay with a copy of the report of the inquiry  and the principal data used in preparing it. Article 11 The Commission may carry out any checks which it deems necessary to ensure that the  conditions and tasks imposed on the Member States by this Decision are fulfilled, and the Member  States shall provide assistance to the staff appointed by the Commission for this purpose. The provisions of this Article shall be without prejudice to Article 29 of Council Regulation (EEC)  No 2847/93. Article 12 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. (1) OJ No L 364, 14. 12. 1989, p. 64.  (2) OJ No L 101, 20. 4. 1994, p. 9.  (3) OJ No L 389, 31. 12. 1992, p. 1.  (4) OJ No L 261, 20. 10. 1993, p. 1.  (5) OJ No L 71, 31. 3. 1995, p. 5.   ANNEX 1. The applications for financing referred to in Article 5 shall state the  expenditure envisaged for the following years. It shall specify in particular: - the timetable for the expenditure envisaged, - the technical features of the equipment, its cost, the method of payment envisaged and its  control objective relative to the programme, - the planned use of the equipment, including its date of entry into service, - the nature and cost of specific measures intended to improve the quality and effectiveness of the  control of fishing and related activities and details of their envisaged duration. 2. Member States shall justify the above measures with regard to the following criteria: - the objectives pursued within the framework of the expenditure which they wish to incur, - the anticipated results linked to the expenditure to be incurred, - in the case of expenditure on the purchase of vessels, aircraft and land vehicles, the amount of  time which they will devote to fisheries inspection and monitoring, - the use made by a Member State of any financial contribution granted under Decision 89/631/EEC or  under this Decision in any previous year, - the improvement in the Member State's performance in fisheries enforcement at sea and on land in  the period preceding the application, under the programme refered to in Article 4, and the  improvement likely to result from the expenditure envisaged. 3. The Member State shall also provide the following information for each measure: - the prevention, detection and prosecution of infringements against the common fisheries policy, - the presence in national legislation and the application in practice of penalties that are  commensurate with the seriousness of infringements and effectively discourage further infringements  of the same kind, - the reliability of the catch figures forwarded by the Member State to the Commission and the  Member State's ability to prevent the overfishing of its quotas, - the amount and effectiveness of the human and material resources devoted by the Member State to  fisheries enforcement, - the diversity of the fishing activities in the Member State's fishery zone, - the degree of cooperation in fisheries enforcement between that Member State and other Member  States and the Commission, - where applicable, that Member State's contribution to fisheries enforcement in areas governed by  international conventions to which the Community is a Contracting Party and the scale and  effectiveness of that enforcement, - the enforcement effort devoted by the Member State to the fishing activities of its vessels on  the high seas. 4. The reimbursement of expenditure and the payment of advances shall be made only if the  provisions of the Directives coordinating procedures for the award of public works and supply  contracts have been complied with, in the sense that the duly completed public contract  questionnaires must make reference to the notices on the award of public contracts published in the  Official Journal of the European Communities. In case of non-publication of the notices in the  Official Journal of the European Communities, the beneficiary shall certify that the public  contracts have been awarded in conformity with Community legislation. The Commission may request any information which it considers necessary for judging whether  Community legislation on public contracts has been respected. Reimbursement shall be subject to the presentation of documentary evidence in duplicate. That  evidence should contain at least the main elements of the agreement between the Member State and  the service providers(s) and the corresponding proofs of payment. To be eligible for reimbursement,  individual items of expenditure must be listed in a summary statement indicating explicitly for  each item the object of the expenditure, its connection with the proposed programme and the net  amount excluding VAT.