EC/Morocco fisheries agreement: conversion of vessels and fishermen following the non-renewal of the agreement

PURPOSE : to promote the conversion of fishing vessels and of fishermen that were, up to 1999, dependent on the fishing agreement with Morocco. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 2561/2001/EC aiming to promote the conversion of fishing vessels and of fishermen that were, up to 1999, dependent on the fishing agreement with Morocco. CONTENT : to recall, the Agreement on the relations as regards sea fishing between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco became null and void on 30 November 1999. Consequently, a significant number of Community vessels that operated within this framework were forced to stop their fishing activities at that date. The fishermen and the vessel owners to whom, during 2000 and 2001, compensation was granted under Article 16(1)(b) of Regulation 2792/1999/EC, owing to the non-renewal of the fishing agreement with Morocco, for at least a six month cumulative period of temporary cessation of activity, can benefit from exceptional supporting measures, under conditions and within the limits envisaged by this Regulation. At the latest three months after the entry into force of this Regulation, Member States shall communicate to the Commission a list of vessels, indicating their internal numbers, as well as the list of the names of the fishermen meeting the conditions of the Regulation. By derogation from the provisions referred to in 2792/1999/EC, public aid to the owners of the vessels and fishermen shall be granted according to the following rules: - where public aid is granted for the demolition of a vessel; - where a premium is granted for the permanent transfer of a vessel to a third country, including in the case of a joint enterprise; - in the event of a permanent conversion of a vessel to another fishing activity requiring the change of fishing technique, the replacement of the fishing gear may be the subject of public aid as a modernisation of the vessel; - in the case where an individual lump sum payment to a fisherman, the maximum eligible cost shall be increased by 20%. The amount of the Community participation allocated to this action shall be EUR 197 million, distributed according to the following percentages: - Spain: 94,6% - Portugal: 5,4%. The Payment of the Community participation shall be carried out by the Commission in accordance with the budgetary commitments and shall be addressed to the payment authority. As from 1 January 2002, the Commission shall carry out the commitment of the appropriations entered into 2002 budget, at the latest three months after the adoption of this Regulation. The commitment of the appropriations entered into the 2003 budget shall be in principle undertaken before 30 April 2003. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 31.12.2001. It shall apply from 01.07.2001.�