1. 3. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 55/103 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 568/86 of 24 February 1986 concerning the application of Protocol No 4, annexed to the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, with regard to the mechanism for additional responsabilities within the framework of fisheries agreements concluded by the Community with third countries THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, and in particular Protocol No 4 annexed thereto, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas the Act of Accession provided for the establish- ment of specific arrangements for fishery products obtained as a complement of fishing activities under fishing agreements concluded by the Community with third countries ; Whereas this Regulation applies only to vessels referred to in Protocol No 4 ; whereas it is appropriate to specify that the vessels in question are those which are registered or enroled in a Member State of the Community and fly the flag of that State; Whereas criteria should be defined for fixing the quanti- ties concerned and allocating them amongst the Member States, on the one hand, and amongst the various under- takings concerned, on the other; Whereas conditions should be laid down to govern the introduction into Community territory of the products covered by these arrangements, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 This Regulation lays down general rules concerning the specific system for the execution of operations carried out as a complement to fishing activities undertaken by vessels registered or enroled in a Member State of the Community and flying the flag of that State, in waters falling under the sovereignty or within the jurisdiction of a third country, hereinafter referred to as ‘waters’, within the framework of responsibilities created under fisheries agreements concluded by the Community with the third countries concerned, as defined by Protocol No 4 to the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal. Article 2 1. These arrangements shall apply only to natural or legal persons established in the Community who operate on their own account a fishing vessel as referred to in Article 1. : 2. Any persons referred to in paragraph 1 who apply for the arrangements must possess : (a) an advance import authorization issued by the com- petent authorities of the Member State, hereinafter referred to as an ‘authorization’; and (b) a fishing licence issued by the authorities of the third country concerned giving access to its waters and the resources thereof. Article 3 The quantities referred to in paragraph 3 of Protocol No 4 shall be apportioned among the Member States on the basis of the available volume of the catches allocated to them in the waters of the third countries concerned, account being taken of the relative importance of each category of product thus apportioned within the overall fishing possibilities allocated in the waters of the third country concerned. Article 4 1.  The competent authorities of each Member State shall apportion, among the various persons covered by the arrangements referred to in the second paragraph of Protocol No 4, the quantities of products the importation of which may be authorized by the Member State concerned under these arrangements. 2. Authorizations may be issued either once per year to cover all the quantities allocated to the applicant or gradually throughout the year by way of successive partial deduction from the quantity allocated until the latter has been exhausted. 3. The applicant shall present to the competent autho- rities the contract concluded with the undertaking(s) in the third country concerned or any evidence considered as equivalent by the said authorities. ~ Article 5 1. Before the 10th day of each month, Member States shall communicate to the Commission statistics relating to authorizations issued during the previous month. 2. Member States shall inform the Commission, at its request, of any cases where applications for authorization are refused, together with the reasons for such refusal, with reference to the terms laid down in this Regulation. Article 6 1. Fishery products falling within Chapter 3 of the Common Customs Tariff as referred to in the first indent of the second paragraph of Protocol No 4 which are obtained in the territory of a third country from whole fish, fresh or chilled, caught by a vessel as referred to in