CHAPTER IIIIMPLEMENTATION
Article 9Cooperation between Member States and with third countries
1.
Member States concerned shall cooperate in the implementation of the specific control and inspection programme.
2.
Where appropriate, all other Member States shall cooperate with the Member States concerned.
3.
Member States may cooperate with the competent authorities of third countries for the implementation of the specific control and inspection programme.
Article 10Joint inspection and surveillance activities
1.
For the purpose of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their national fisheries control systems, Member States concerned shall undertake joint inspection and surveillance activities in waters under their jurisdiction and, where appropriate, on their territory. Where applicable, such activities shall be carried out in the framework of joint deployment plans referred to in Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 768/2005.
2.
For the purpose of joint inspection and surveillance activities, each Member State concerned shall:
(a)
ensure that officials from other Member States concerned are invited to participate in joint inspection and surveillance activities;
(b)
establish joint operational procedures applicable to their surveillance crafts;
(c)
designate contact points referred to in Article 80(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, where appropriate.
3.
Officials and Union inspectors may participate in joint inspection and surveillance activities.
Article 11Exchange of data
1.
For the purpose of implementing the specific control and inspection programme, each Member State concerned shall ensure the direct electronic exchange of data referred to in Article 111 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 and Annex XII of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 with other concerned Member States and the EFCA.
2.
Data referred to in paragraph 1 shall be related to fishing activities and fishing related activities carried out in the area(s) covered by the specific control and inspection programme.
Article 12Information
1.
Pending the full implementation of Title XII, Chapter III of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, and in accordance with the format set out in Annex III of this Decision, each Member State concerned shall communicate by electronic means to the Commission and to the EFCA, by the 10th day after each quarter, the following information concerning the preceding quarter:
(a)
the identification, date, and type of each control and/or inspection operation carried out during the preceding quarter;
(b)
the identification of each fishing vessel (Union fleet register number), vehicle and/or operator (company name) subject to a control and/or inspection;
(c)
where appropriate, the type of fishing gear inspected; and
(d)
in case where one or several serious infringements were detected:
- (i)
the type(s) of serious infringement(s);
- (ii)
the state of play concerning the follow-up of serious infringement(s) (e.g. case under investigation, pending, under appeal); and
- (iii)
the sanction(s) imposed as follow-up of serious infringement(s): level of fines, value of forfeited fish and/or gear, points assigned in accordance with Article 126(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011, and/or other type of sanctions.
2.
Information referred to in paragraph 1 shall be communicated for each control and/or inspection and shall continue to be listed and updated in each report until the action is concluded under the laws of the Member State concerned. Where no action is taken following the detection of a serious infringement, an explanation shall be included.
Article 13Evaluation
1.
Each Member State concerned shall, by 31 March of the year following the relevant calendar year, send to the Commission and the EFCA an evaluation report concerning the effectiveness of the control and inspection activities carried out under this specific control and inspection programme.
2.
The evaluation report referred to in paragraph 1 shall at least include the information listed in Annex IV. Member States concerned may also include in their evaluation report other actions such as training or information sessions designed to have an impact on compliance by fishing vessels and other operators.
3.
The EFCA, for its annual assessment of the effectiveness of joint deployment plans referred to in Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 768/2005, shall take into consideration evaluation reports referred to in paragraph 1.
4.
The Commission shall convene once a year a meeting of the Committee for fisheries and aquaculture to evaluate the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the specific control and inspection programme and its overall impact on compliance by fishing vessels and other operators, on the basis of evaluation reports referred to in paragraph 1. Target benchmarks set out in Annex II may be reviewed accordingly.
Article 14
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.