8.12.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 324/55

(1)

Member State systems should be capable of exchanging fishing activity data and sales-related data messages using the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/Cefact) standard in accordance with Article 146g and 146h of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011.

(2)

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1138 (3) fixes the deadlines for the use of UN/Cefact standards in the exchanges of fisheries data.

(3)

In order to ensure business continuity there is a need to establish a transition period during which the format in use before 1 November 2017 and the UN/Cefact standard format may be used for data exchanges, both within the Union as well as between Member States and third countries.

(4)

There is a need to modify the specifications for replying to requests for sales notes and take-over data in order to harmonise this procedure with the specifications of other data requests.

(5)

It is therefore appropriate to postpone certain deadlines set by Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1138 for the use of these UN/Cefact standards.

(6)

During meetings of the Fisheries Control Experts Group — ERS (Electronic recording and reporting system) and Data Management working group, Member States agreed on the need to establish a transition period, to modify the aforementioned specifications and to postpone certain deadlines.

(7)

As the transition period started already on 1 November 2017, there is a need for this Decision to apply retroactively from this date.

(8)

Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1138 should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

In Article 2, the following paragraphs 3 and 4 are added:

‘3.   During a transition period ending no later than 1 May 2018, each exchange of fishing activity data between two Member States shall continue to be made using the format in place before 1 November 2017 unless both the sending and the receiving Member State are capable of exchanging fishing activity data using the new UN/Cefact standard format.

4.   Exchanges of fishing activity data within the framework of a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement shall continue to be made using the format in place before 1 November 2017 until the date agreed with the concerned third country.’;

(2)

Article 3 is amended as follows: