Article 1 
1. In connection with the ban on fishing with drift nets laid down by Regulation (EC) No 894/97, Member States availing themselves of the specific measure provided for in paragraph 2 shall draw up a conversion plan and communicate it to the Commission. The conversion plans shall be examined by the monitoring committees for the programmes referred to in Article 5(2) of this Decision. 2. To implement the plans referred to in paragraph 1, a specific measure shall be established to grant aid to fishermen and owners of vessels under the conditions laid down in Articles 2 to 6 of this Decision. Article 2 Fishermen who are nationals of a Member State and worked in 1995, 1996 or 1997 on board a fishing vessel flying the Spanish, French, Irish or United Kingdom flag, using one or more drift nets intended for the capture of the species listed in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 894/97, may receive: (a) an individual compensatory payment of up to a maximum of ECU 50 000 if they cease all economic activity before 1 January 2002; this payment: (i) may be cumulated with benefits from early-retirement schemes provided for by the legislation of the Member State concerned, including when the early-retirement scheme in question is part-financed by the FIFG pursuant to Article 14a(3)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (ii) may not be cumulated with the individual compensatory payment provided for in Article 14a(3)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (b) an individual compensatory payment of up to a maximum of ECU 20 000, in the case of conversion to another fishing activity or another sector before 1 January 2002. This payment may be cumulated with the individual compensatory payment pursuant to Article 14a(3)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 and, if appropriate, with the aid provided for in Title III of that Regulation. Article 3 Owners of a fishing vessel flying the Spanish, French, Irish or United Kingdom flag, which have used one or more drift nets intended for the capture of the species listed in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 894/97 in 1995, 1996 or 1997, may obtain for those vessels: (a) a compensatory payment of an amount up to the maximum listed in Annex I to this Decision, for the permanent cessation of all fishing activity before 1 January 2002; this payment: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (b) a compensatory payment of an amount up to the maximum listed in Annex I to this Decision, in the case of permanent conversion to another fishing activity before 1 January 2002; this payment may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 which would be granted in 1998 or in 1999, under the conditions for derogation laid down in Annex II to this Decision. The amount of this payment shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises under Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years. Article 4 1. Member States shall restrict benefit of the measures laid down in Articles 2 and 3 to fishermen and owners of vessels who prove that they will actually suffer loss as a result of the ban on fishing referred to in Article 1(1). 2. When establishing the actual individual amount of the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3, Member States shall take particular account of: (a) the actual extent of use by the beneficiaries (fishermen and owners of vessels), during the reference period, of the drift nets covered by the ban referred to in Article 1(1); (b) the cost of conversion; (c) the age of the vessels. Article 5 1. The public financial contribution, including that of the Community, to measures pursuant to this Decision shall cover all eligible costs up to the maximum amounts laid down in Articles 2 and 3. 2. The Community contribution may amount to a maximum of 50 % of eligible costs incurred by the Member States. It may not exceed the funding limits for the Member States concerned under the 1994 to 1999 Structural Fund programmes (Community support frameworks, operational programmes and single programming documents for Structural Fund Objectives 1 and 5a). 3. Save as otherwise provided in this Decision, the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3 shall be subject to the conditions governing the programmes referred to in paragraph 2; they must therefore be the subject of legally binding commitments in the Member States concerned for which the requisite finance must be specifically committed no later than 31 December 1999. The final date for booking expenditure on these measures shall be 31 December 2001. Article 6 Without prejudice to other provisions applicable and in particular those of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (8), the authorities of the Member States concerned shall send the Commission each year, at the latest by 1 April for the previous year, a report on the implementation of the conversion plan referred to in Article 1. They shall adopt the necessary provisions to prevent cumulation of compensatory payments and aid not expressly authorised by this Decision and any grant of compensatory payments and aid not justified. Article 7 Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added:
Article 2 
Fishermen who are nationals of a Member State and worked in 1995, 1996 or 1997 on board a fishing vessel flying the Spanish, French, Irish or United Kingdom flag, using one or more drift nets intended for the capture of the species listed in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 894/97, may receive: (a) an individual compensatory payment of up to a maximum of ECU 50 000 if they cease all economic activity before 1 January 2002; this payment: (i) may be cumulated with benefits from early-retirement schemes provided for by the legislation of the Member State concerned, including when the early-retirement scheme in question is part-financed by the FIFG pursuant to Article 14a(3)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (ii) may not be cumulated with the individual compensatory payment provided for in Article 14a(3)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (b) an individual compensatory payment of up to a maximum of ECU 20 000, in the case of conversion to another fishing activity or another sector before 1 January 2002. This payment may be cumulated with the individual compensatory payment pursuant to Article 14a(3)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 and, if appropriate, with the aid provided for in Title III of that Regulation. Article 3 Owners of a fishing vessel flying the Spanish, French, Irish or United Kingdom flag, which have used one or more drift nets intended for the capture of the species listed in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 894/97 in 1995, 1996 or 1997, may obtain for those vessels: (a) a compensatory payment of an amount up to the maximum listed in Annex I to this Decision, for the permanent cessation of all fishing activity before 1 January 2002; this payment: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (b) a compensatory payment of an amount up to the maximum listed in Annex I to this Decision, in the case of permanent conversion to another fishing activity before 1 January 2002; this payment may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 which would be granted in 1998 or in 1999, under the conditions for derogation laid down in Annex II to this Decision. The amount of this payment shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises under Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years. Article 4 1. Member States shall restrict benefit of the measures laid down in Articles 2 and 3 to fishermen and owners of vessels who prove that they will actually suffer loss as a result of the ban on fishing referred to in Article 1(1). 2. When establishing the actual individual amount of the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3, Member States shall take particular account of: (a) the actual extent of use by the beneficiaries (fishermen and owners of vessels), during the reference period, of the drift nets covered by the ban referred to in Article 1(1); (b) the cost of conversion; (c) the age of the vessels. Article 5 1. The public financial contribution, including that of the Community, to measures pursuant to this Decision shall cover all eligible costs up to the maximum amounts laid down in Articles 2 and 3. 2. The Community contribution may amount to a maximum of 50 % of eligible costs incurred by the Member States. It may not exceed the funding limits for the Member States concerned under the 1994 to 1999 Structural Fund programmes (Community support frameworks, operational programmes and single programming documents for Structural Fund Objectives 1 and 5a). 3. Save as otherwise provided in this Decision, the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3 shall be subject to the conditions governing the programmes referred to in paragraph 2; they must therefore be the subject of legally binding commitments in the Member States concerned for which the requisite finance must be specifically committed no later than 31 December 1999. The final date for booking expenditure on these measures shall be 31 December 2001. Article 6 Without prejudice to other provisions applicable and in particular those of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (8), the authorities of the Member States concerned shall send the Commission each year, at the latest by 1 April for the previous year, a report on the implementation of the conversion plan referred to in Article 1. They shall adopt the necessary provisions to prevent cumulation of compensatory payments and aid not expressly authorised by this Decision and any grant of compensatory payments and aid not justified. Article 7 Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added:
Article 3 
Owners of a fishing vessel flying the Spanish, French, Irish or United Kingdom flag, which have used one or more drift nets intended for the capture of the species listed in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 894/97 in 1995, 1996 or 1997, may obtain for those vessels: (a) a compensatory payment of an amount up to the maximum listed in Annex I to this Decision, for the permanent cessation of all fishing activity before 1 January 2002; this payment: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (b) a compensatory payment of an amount up to the maximum listed in Annex I to this Decision, in the case of permanent conversion to another fishing activity before 1 January 2002; this payment may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 which would be granted in 1998 or in 1999, under the conditions for derogation laid down in Annex II to this Decision. The amount of this payment shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises under Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years. Article 4 1. Member States shall restrict benefit of the measures laid down in Articles 2 and 3 to fishermen and owners of vessels who prove that they will actually suffer loss as a result of the ban on fishing referred to in Article 1(1). 2. When establishing the actual individual amount of the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3, Member States shall take particular account of: (a) the actual extent of use by the beneficiaries (fishermen and owners of vessels), during the reference period, of the drift nets covered by the ban referred to in Article 1(1); (b) the cost of conversion; (c) the age of the vessels. Article 5 1. The public financial contribution, including that of the Community, to measures pursuant to this Decision shall cover all eligible costs up to the maximum amounts laid down in Articles 2 and 3. 2. The Community contribution may amount to a maximum of 50 % of eligible costs incurred by the Member States. It may not exceed the funding limits for the Member States concerned under the 1994 to 1999 Structural Fund programmes (Community support frameworks, operational programmes and single programming documents for Structural Fund Objectives 1 and 5a). 3. Save as otherwise provided in this Decision, the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3 shall be subject to the conditions governing the programmes referred to in paragraph 2; they must therefore be the subject of legally binding commitments in the Member States concerned for which the requisite finance must be specifically committed no later than 31 December 1999. The final date for booking expenditure on these measures shall be 31 December 2001. Article 6 Without prejudice to other provisions applicable and in particular those of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (8), the authorities of the Member States concerned shall send the Commission each year, at the latest by 1 April for the previous year, a report on the implementation of the conversion plan referred to in Article 1. They shall adopt the necessary provisions to prevent cumulation of compensatory payments and aid not expressly authorised by this Decision and any grant of compensatory payments and aid not justified. Article 7 Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added:
Article 4 
1. Member States shall restrict benefit of the measures laid down in Articles 2 and 3 to fishermen and owners of vessels who prove that they will actually suffer loss as a result of the ban on fishing referred to in Article 1(1). 2. When establishing the actual individual amount of the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3, Member States shall take particular account of: (a) the actual extent of use by the beneficiaries (fishermen and owners of vessels), during the reference period, of the drift nets covered by the ban referred to in Article 1(1); (b) the cost of conversion; (c) the age of the vessels. Article 5 1. The public financial contribution, including that of the Community, to measures pursuant to this Decision shall cover all eligible costs up to the maximum amounts laid down in Articles 2 and 3. 2. The Community contribution may amount to a maximum of 50 % of eligible costs incurred by the Member States. It may not exceed the funding limits for the Member States concerned under the 1994 to 1999 Structural Fund programmes (Community support frameworks, operational programmes and single programming documents for Structural Fund Objectives 1 and 5a). 3. Save as otherwise provided in this Decision, the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3 shall be subject to the conditions governing the programmes referred to in paragraph 2; they must therefore be the subject of legally binding commitments in the Member States concerned for which the requisite finance must be specifically committed no later than 31 December 1999. The final date for booking expenditure on these measures shall be 31 December 2001. Article 6 Without prejudice to other provisions applicable and in particular those of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (8), the authorities of the Member States concerned shall send the Commission each year, at the latest by 1 April for the previous year, a report on the implementation of the conversion plan referred to in Article 1. They shall adopt the necessary provisions to prevent cumulation of compensatory payments and aid not expressly authorised by this Decision and any grant of compensatory payments and aid not justified. Article 7 Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added:
Article 5 
1. The public financial contribution, including that of the Community, to measures pursuant to this Decision shall cover all eligible costs up to the maximum amounts laid down in Articles 2 and 3. 2. The Community contribution may amount to a maximum of 50 % of eligible costs incurred by the Member States. It may not exceed the funding limits for the Member States concerned under the 1994 to 1999 Structural Fund programmes (Community support frameworks, operational programmes and single programming documents for Structural Fund Objectives 1 and 5a). 3. Save as otherwise provided in this Decision, the payments provided for in Articles 2 and 3 shall be subject to the conditions governing the programmes referred to in paragraph 2; they must therefore be the subject of legally binding commitments in the Member States concerned for which the requisite finance must be specifically committed no later than 31 December 1999. The final date for booking expenditure on these measures shall be 31 December 2001. Article 6 Without prejudice to other provisions applicable and in particular those of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (8), the authorities of the Member States concerned shall send the Commission each year, at the latest by 1 April for the previous year, a report on the implementation of the conversion plan referred to in Article 1. They shall adopt the necessary provisions to prevent cumulation of compensatory payments and aid not expressly authorised by this Decision and any grant of compensatory payments and aid not justified. Article 7 Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added:
Article 6 
Without prejudice to other provisions applicable and in particular those of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (8), the authorities of the Member States concerned shall send the Commission each year, at the latest by 1 April for the previous year, a report on the implementation of the conversion plan referred to in Article 1. They shall adopt the necessary provisions to prevent cumulation of compensatory payments and aid not expressly authorised by this Decision and any grant of compensatory payments and aid not justified. Article 7 Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added:
Article 7 
Decision 97/292/EC is hereby amended as follows: 1. (a) in Article 1(a), the terms 'on 22 July 1996` shall be replaced by 'in 1995, 1996 or 1997`; (b) in the Annex, the title 'ANNEX` shall be replaced by 'ANNEX I`; 2. Article 1(b) and (c) shall be replaced by the following: '(b) to vessel owners who have undertaken to cease definitively all fishing activity. The aid shall be as set out in Table A in Annex I. This aid: (i) may be cumulated with aid for the permanent cessation of fishing activities provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93. However, point 1.1(a) of Annex III to that Regulation shall not apply; (ii) may be granted only if the vessel concerned is more than 10 years old; (c) to vessel owners who have undertaken to diversify definitively towards another fishing activity. The premium for diversifying shall be as set out in Table B in Annex I. This premium may be cumulated with aid for the modernisation of the vessel provided for in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted in 1998 or 1999 under the conditions for derogation provided for in Annex II. The amount of this aid shall be deducted pro rata temporis from any aid for permanent transfer to a third country or for setting up joint enterprises pursuant to Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 granted for the same vessel within the following five years.`;3. the following Annex shall be added: