2005/424/EC: Commission Decision of 3 June 2005 on a Community financial contribution towards Member States’ fisheries control, inspection and surveillance programmes for 2005 (notified under document number C(2005) 1630)

This Decision provides for a Community financial contribution towards actions referred to in Article 4 of Decision 2004/465/EC for 2005. It establishes the amount of the Community financial contribution for each Member State, the rate of the Community financial contribution and the conditions on which such contribution may be granted.

Expenditure incurred on the purchase of, installation and technical assistance for, computer technology and setting up of IT networks in order to allow efficient and secure data exchange in connection with monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries activities, shall qualify for a financial contribution of 50 % of the eligible expenditure within the limits laid down in Annex I.

1 Expenditure incurred in the purchase and fitting on board of fishing vessels of electronic localisation devices enabling vessels to be monitored at a distance by a fisheries monitoring centre through a vessel monitoring system (VMS) shall qualify for a maximum financial contribution of EUR 4500 per vessel within the limits established in Annex II.

2 Within the EUR 4500 limit provided for in paragraph 1, the financial contribution for the first EUR 1500 of eligible expenditure shall be at a rate of 100 %.

3 The financial contribution for eligible expenditure comprised between EUR 1500 and EUR 4500 per vessel shall amount to a maximum of 50 % of such expenditure.

4 In order to qualify, electronic localisation devices shall satisfy the requirements fixed by Regulation (EC) No 2244/2003.

1 Expenditure incurred in pilot projects relating to the implementation of new technologies to improve the monitoring of fisheries activities shall qualify for a financial contribution of 50 % of the eligible expenditure within the limits laid down in Annex III.

2 In order to qualify, pilot projects shall satisfy the conditions set out in Regulation (EC) No 1461/2003.

Expenditure incurred on training and exchange programmes of civil servants responsible for monitoring control and surveillance tasks in the fisheries area shall qualify for a financial contribution of 50 % of the eligible expenditure within the limits laid down in Annex IV.

Expenditure incurred in initiatives including seminar and media tools aimed at enhancing awareness among fishermen and other players such as inspectors, public prosecutors and judges, as well as among the general public on the need to fight irresponsible and illegal fishing and on the implementation of Common fisheries policy rules, shall qualify for a financial contribution of 75 % of the eligible expenditure within the limits laid down in Annex V.

Expenditure related to the purchase and modernisation of vessels and aircraft used for inspection and surveillance of fishing activities by the competent authorities of the Member States shall qualify, within the limits laid down in Annex VI, for a financial contribution not exceeding: 50 % of the eligible expenditure incurred by Member States which acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004, 25 % of the eligible expenditure incurred by other Member States.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.