THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Union control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006
1, and in particular Article 95 thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/473 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the European Fisheries Control Agency
2, and in particular Article 17(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishes rules for the control of all activities covered by the common fisheries policy carried out on the territory of Member States or in Union waters or by Union fishing vessels or, without prejudice to the primary responsibility of the flag Member State, by nationals of Member States.
(2)In accordance with Article 95 of that Regulation, Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1986
3 provides for specific control and inspection programmes for specific fisheries and sea basins.
(3)In order to reflect recently adopted Union fisheries conservation and management measures
4, and recommendations
5 of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), the scope of Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1986 establishing specific control and inspection programmes for certain fisheries for the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, should be extended to fisheries exploiting European hake, deep-water rose shrimp, blue and red shrimp, giant red shrimp, Norway lobster, red mullet, blackspot seabream, common sole, red coral, dolphinfish and sprat. For reasons of clarity, it is appropriate to provide for a definition of Ionian Sea, Levant Sea and Alboran Sea.
(4)Joint inspection and surveillance activities between the Member States concerned are carried out, where applicable, in accordance with joint deployment plans established by the European Fisheries Control Agency according to Articles 9 and 10 of Regulation (EU) 2019/473. In order for the Commission to perform its obligations under Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, and according to Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/473 the Commission should have access to information exchanged in the frame of the joint inspection and surveillance activities.
(5)Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1986 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6)The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for fisheries and aquaculture,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: