Charge in respect of processing establishments
12.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), the proprietor or operator of a processing establishment shall pay the charge determined in accordance with paragraph (2) (“the processing establishment charge”) to the relevant district council.
(2) The processing establishment charge shall be a contribution towards the expenditure incurred by the relevant district council in exercising the official controls required under Annex III to Regulation 854/2004, calculated at the rate of 0.5 Euro per tonne of fishery products entering the establishment for the purpose of processing.
(3) Where the actual costs of exercising the official controls required under Annex III to Regulation 854/2004 are less than the processing establishment charge, the proprietor or operator shall pay an amount equal to those costs to the relevant district council, instead of the processing establishment charge.