6.7.95 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 155/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1624/95 of 29 June 1995 amending Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 laying down the criteria and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and the processing and marketing of its products THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2080/93 of 20 July 1993 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards the financial instrument of fisheries guidance ('), and in particular Article 6 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (?), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas the provisions of the London Convention (ITC 69) were extended to all fishing vessels by Council Regu- lation (EEC) No 2930/86 of 22 September 1986 defining characteristics for fishing vessels (°) ; whereas the imple- mentation of the provisions of the said Convention generalized, by 1 January 2004 at the latest, the use of gross tonnage as the unit of tonnage to all vessels of the fishing fleet of the European Union; Whereas this usage makes it essential to modify the provi- sions of Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 () since they refer to vessel tonnage, and in particular tables 1 and 2 of Annex IV thereto; Whereas it is appropriate to ensure the harmonization of the procedures referred to in Articles 5 and 6 of the Said Regulation ; Whereas there should be a reduction in the activity threshold that renders a fishing vessel eligible for measures of permanent withdrawal as regards fishing vessels registered in the North Baltic ports, having regard to the special climatic conditions of the region which () OJ No L 193, 31. 7. 1993, p. 1. () OJ No C 389, 31. 12. 1994, p. 11. () OJ No C 151, 19. 6. 1995. (*) Opinion delivered on 31 May 1995 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ No L 274, 25. 9. 1986, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Re- gulation (EC) No 3259/94 (O] No L 339, 29. 12. 1994, p. 11). (y OJ No L 346, 31. 12. 1993, p. 1. cause its water which is only slightly salty to freeze for a large part of the year, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 Regulation (EC) No 3699/93 is hereby amended as follows : 1. in Article § (2), the reference to ‘Article 8 of Regula- tion (EEC) No 2080/93" shall be replaced by a reference to ‘Article 18 of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92’; 2. in the second subparagraph of Article 8 (2), the following words shall be inserted after the words ‘25 gross registered tonnes (GRT)': ‘or 27 gross tonnes GT); 3. in Article 16 the following paragraph shall be added : ‘3. From 1 January 2004 only reference to the GT unit of tonnage shall be possible in this Regulation. ; 4. in the first subparagraph of Annex III, point 1.1 (a) the following sentence shall be added : ‘in the Baltic Sea the number of seventy five days shall be reduced to sixty days for vessels registered in ports situated north of parallel 59° 30’ N.; 5. in Annex III in the first indent of the first paragraph of point 1.2 (a) the following shall be inserted : ‘or 27 gross tonnes (GT) ; 6. in Annex IV, point 1 shall be replaced by the text appearing in the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.