L 192/44 Official Journal of the European Union 31.7.2003 COMMISSION DECISION of 28 July 2003 on the financial contribution towards carrying out the operations planned by the Member States in 2003 in implementing the control, inspection and surveillance systems applicable to the common fisheries policy (notified under document number C(2003) 2693) (2003/566EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Decision 2001/431/EC 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 (!), and in particular Article 13 thereof, Whereas: (1) Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom have forwarded to the Commission their fisheries control programmes for the period 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2003 together with applications for a financial contribution towards the expenditure to be incurred in carrying out the programmes. The Member States have submitted updated applications for 2003. (2)  Applications concerning the operations listed in Article 2 of Decision 2001/431/EC may qualify for Community funding. Having regard in particular to the provisions introduced in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 (%), priority is to be given to operations extending the satellite-based monitoring system to vessels under 24 metres long, implementing pilot projects for sending information by electronic means and for remote-sensing of fishing vessels, and to the training of national officials. (3)  The rate of the Community contribution for each opera- tion, the conditions on which the expenditure is reim- bursed and, for each Member State and each operation, the total amount of eligible expenditure in 2003 should be laid down. (4)  To promote the extension of the satellite-based moni- toring system to vessels between 18 and 24 metres long, the rate of the Community contribution should be increased to more than 50 % of eligible expenditure, while complying with the ceiling laid down in Article 11 of Decision 2001/431/EC. () OJ L 154, 9.6.2001, p. 22. () OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59. (5)  Pursuant to Article 15 of Decision 2001/431/EC, the Member States must implement their scheduled expendi- ture within one year of the legal and financial commit- ment; this commitment must be made at the latest within the calendar year following the year of notifica- tion of the Commission Decision. (6)  Pursuant to Article 17(1) of Decision 2001/431/EC, Member States must submit their applications for reim- bursement of expenditure to the Commission by 31 May of the year following the year in which it was incurred at the latest. (7)  The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor- dance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Atrticle 1 This Decision establishes for 2003 the amount of the eligible expenditure for each Member State, the rates of the Community financial contribution and the conditions on which the contri- bution may be granted, to the extent that the eligible expendi- ture is actually used to implement the control programmes. Atticle 2 Expenditure incurred in putting in place the mechanisms and IT networks necessary for exchanges of information linked to control shall qualify for a maximum financial contribution of 50 % of the eligible expenditure within the limits laid down in Annex L Atticle 3 Expenditure relating to experiments with, and the implementa- tion of, new technologies to improve the monitoring of fishing activities other than those provided for in Articles 4 and 5 shall qualify for a maximum financial contribution of 50 % of the eligible expenditure within the limits laid down in Annex IL