L62/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 2.3.2001 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 17 January 2001 concerning Article 21 of draft Law No 368.2.XII of the Region of Sicily adopting provisions concerning fisheries and maritime activities and laying down rules governing inshore waters (notified under document number C(2001) 163) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/170/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first paragraph of Article 88(2) thereof, After having asked the parties concerned to submit their comments in accordance with that Article, Whereas: Procedure By letter dated 10 April 1997, recorded as received by the Commission on 17 April 1997, your authorities notified the above draft Law (file N 250/97). By letter dated 20 June 1997, recorded as received by the Commission on 30 June 1997, the additional informa- tion requested was forwarded. On 30 July 1997, the Commission decided to initiate the procedure provided for in Article 93(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of Article 21 (aids for employment) of draft Law No 368.2.XII of the Region of Sicily adopting provisions concerning fisheries and maritime activities and laying down rules governing inshore waters. (Letter No SG(97)D/7090 sent to the Italian authorities on 18 August 1997). On 13 January 1998, the Italian authorities provided the information requested by the Commission. The Associa- zione Armatori della Pesca submitted comments on 6 September 1997. The Commission received no comments from other Member States or interested parties. Information was requested on 1 February 1999, 17 April and 1 August 2000, and the Italian Govern- ment replied on 29 May and 2 October 2000. Description of aid Article 21 of draft regional Law No 368.2.XII provides that: ‘1. Workers employed in fisheries enterprises affected by the restrictions contained in Article 13 of this Law who, in the course of a year, spend not less than 181 days at sea on board vessels registered in the maritime areas of Sicily shall receive a flat-rate aid of ITL 4 800 000 annually, which may be adjusted. 2. Days at sea shall include up to 20 days' absence on sick leave or absence as a result of force majeure, which shall be defined in the Regulation implementing this Law. 3. The measures provided for in paragraph 1 shall be extended to individual skippers and shipowners or asso- ciations therof, owning not less than 13 parts, which shall be reduced to 12 parts in the case of joint owner- ship with their spouse, of fishing vessels of less than 30 gross registered tonnes (grt), engaging in smallscale fishing as defined in Article 16 above and which have been registered for not less than one year in the mari- time areas of the region of Sicily.’