L 154/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 9.6.2001 II (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 28 May 2001 on a financial contribution by the Community to certain expenditure incurred by the Member States in implementing the control, inspection and surveillance systems applicable to the common fisheries policy (2001/431/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof, (6) Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Whereas: (1)  The common fisheries policy, which guarantees the 7) long-term existence of fishery stocks and thus employ- ment in the sector, can achieve its objectives only if its rules are complied with and effectively controlled. (2)  Those objectives and rules are primarily established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture *) and by Council Regulation (EEC) No ) 2847[93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (*). (3) By guaranteeing the implementation of the control, inspection and surveillance systems applicable to the common fisheries policy, the Member States discharge an obligation of Community interest. (4)  For some Member States the scale of the control task is particularly onerous and may be disproportionately &) burdensome. (5)  The Community should therefore make a financial contribution towards certain control, inspection and (10) () O] C 62 E, 27.2.2001, p. 276. (}) Opinion delivered on 5 April 2001 (not yet published in the Offi- cial Journal). surveillance expenditure incurred by some Member States. Given the positive overall impact of the Community financial contribution under Council Decision 89/ 631/EEC (%), for 1991 to 1995, and Council Decision 95/527[EC (%), for 1996 to 2000, a follow-on to those Decisions is required, but not a simple renewal. Certain expenditure should therefore be reduced in order to permit more active assistance in other areas. A period of three years, from 2001 to 2003, for the application of this Decision allows the Community contribution to be set for a long enough period but without prejudging any modifications of the common fisheries policy that may be decided under Article 14 of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92. A financial reference, within the meaning of point 34 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commis- sion on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (), is inserted in this Decision for the entire duration of the period for which financial assistance is to be provided, without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary authority as defined by the Treaty. The corresponding financial resources are entered as annual appropriations in the General Budget of the European Union. The financial contribution by the Community is condi- tional on the recipient Member State attaining a satisfac- tory standard of control both at sea and on land. (*) OJ L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regula- () O] L 364, 14.12.1989, p. 64. Decision last amended by Decision tion (EC) No 1181/98 (O] L 164, 9.6.1998, p. 1). 95/528/EC (O] L 301, 14.12.1995, p. 35). (*) OJ L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regula- () O] L 301, 14.12.1995, p. 30. tion (EC) No 2846/98 (O] L 358, 31.12.1998, p. 5). () O] C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.