Common fisheries policy (CFP): Community financial measures for the implementation of the CFP and in the area of the Law of the Sea

PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 of 22 May 2006 establishing Community financial measures for the implementation of the common fisheries policy and in the area of the Law of the Sea.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EC) No 693/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 861/2006 establishing Community financial measures for the implementation of the common fisheries policy and in the area of the Law of the Sea.

CONTENT: the Council adopted an amendment to regulation 861/2006 establishing community financial measures for the implementation of the common fisheries policy (CFP) and in the area of the Law of the Sea, following a first-reading agreement with the European Parliament.

Regulation 861/2006 provides for financing in the following areas: international relations, governance, data collection and scientific advice, and control and enforcement of the CFP. In each field of action, this regulation is complemented by other regulations or decisions. Several elements of the related legislation have evolved since the adoption of the initial regulation, which should be amended in order to ensure coherence between all the elements of the legislative framework.

The Regulation lays down the specific objectives in the area of data collection, management and use and scientific advice. It clarifies the scope of the measures financed and to improve the drafting of some articles.

Applications by Member States for Union financial support shall be submitted to the Commission by 15 November of the year preceding the year of implementation concerned. Such applications shall be accompanied by an annual fisheries control programme containing the following information: (a) the objectives of the annual fisheries control programme; (b) the planned human resources available; (c) the planned financial resources available; (d) the planned number of vessels and aircraft available; (e) a list of projects for which a financial contribution is sought; (f) the overall expenditure planned for carrying out the projects; (g) a schedule for completion in respect of each project listed in the annual fisheries control programme; (h) a list of indicators to be used to assess the efficacy of the annual fisheries control programme.

Regulation (EC) No 657/2000 and Decisions 2000/439/EC and 2004/465/EC are hereby repealed with effect from 1 January 2007.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 23/07/2011.