Date: 2023-09-27Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2060 of 26 September 2023 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the listing of the flag States of fishing vessels catching fishery products that may enter into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom and be placed on the market in Northern Ireland as retail goods (Text with EEA relevance)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Executive Summary:
This Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2060 establishes a list of flag States for fishing vessels whose catches can enter Northern Ireland from other parts of the UK as retail goods, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2023/1231. It addresses fishery products imported into the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) and subsequently moved to Northern Ireland. This regulation takes effect upon publication and applies from October 1, 2023.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Scope and Subject Matter:**
* Defines the list of third countries (excluding the UK) that are flag States for fishing vessels.
* Applies to fishery products that, after being imported into other parts of the UK, may enter Northern Ireland as retail goods under Regulation (EU) 2023/1231.
* **Flag State Listing:**
* The list of approved flag States is detailed in the Annex of the Regulation.
* The list takes into account notification requirements under Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 and the list of non-cooperating third countries established by Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU.
* **Entry into Force and Application:**
* The Regulation came into force upon publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
* It applies from October 1, 2023.
* **Written Evidence from the United Kingdom:**
* The UK provided written evidence on September 4, 2023, demonstrating import conditions, official controls, and verification requirements under its national law are effectively implemented.
Impact Analysis:
* **Third Country Flag States:**
* Impact: Determines whether fishery products from their vessels can be sold as retail goods in Northern Ireland after entering the UK.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with relevant regulations to remain on the approved list.
* **United Kingdom:**
* Impact: Defines the conditions under which fishery products can enter Northern Ireland from other parts of the UK.
* Action Required: Maintain and effectively implement import conditions, official controls, and verification requirements, as demonstrated in their written evidence.
* **Northern Ireland Retailers:**
* Impact: Affects the sourcing of fishery products for retail sale.
* Action Required: Ensure fishery products sourced from third countries comply with the flag State listing established by this Regulation.
Key Entities Referenced
European Commission: The executive branch of the European Union responsible for implementing decisions and proposing legislation.
European Parliament: The directly elected parliamentary body of the European Union with legislative power.
Council of the European Union: A body representing the governments of the EU member states
Regulation (EU) 2023/1231: A European Union regulation laying down specific rules relating to the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of certain consignments.
Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008: A Council Regulation establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Northern Ireland: A constituent country of the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom: A sovereign country located off the north-western coast of continental Europe.
Ursula VON DER LEYEN: The President of the European Commission.
L 238/108 EN Official Journal of the European Union 27.9.2023
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2023/2060
of 26 September 2023
laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and
of the Council as regards the listing of the flag States of fishing vessels catching fishery products
that may enter into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom and be placed on the
market in Northern Ireland as retail goods
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2023on specific
rules relating to the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of certain consignments of retail
goods, plants for planting, seed potatoes, machinery and certain vehicles operated for agricultural or forestry purposes, as
well as non-commercial movements of certain pet animals into Northern Ireland(1), and in particular Article 9(4), point
(b), thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 lays down specific rules relating to, inter alia, the entry into Northern Ireland from other
parts of the United Kingdom of consignments of certain retail goods for placing on the market in Northern Ireland
for the final consumer.
(2) In particular, Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 lays down specific rules for consignments of rest-of-the-world
retail goods. Article 9(2), point (b), of that Regulation provides that fishery products caught by a fishing vessel flying
the flag of a third country other than the United Kingdom (‘the flag State’), and imported into parts of the United
Kingdom other than Northern Ireland, may enter into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom as
retail goods, and be placed on the market in Northern Ireland in accordance with Article 4 of that Regulation, only
if the flag State of the fishing vessel concerned is listed in an implementing act adopted in accordance with
Article 9(4) of that Regulation.
(3) In addition, Article 9(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 provides that fishery products caught by a vessel of
the flag State, and imported into parts of the United Kingdom other than Northern Ireland, may enter into Northern
Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom as retail goods, and be placed on the market in Northern Ireland in
accordance with Article 4 of that Regulation, only if the United Kingdom provides written evidence that import
conditions, official controls and verification requirements apply under its national law, thereby ensuring that fishery
products obtained from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (‘IUU fishing’) as defined in Article 2 of Council
Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008(2)and in the Union acts adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 are
not imported into the United Kingdom, and that those import conditions, official controls and verification
requirements are effectively implemented by the United Kingdom (‘the written evidence’).
(4) Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishes a Union system to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, and
Article 12(1) thereof prohibits the importation into the Union of fishery products obtained from IUU fishing. In
addition, Article 20 of that Regulation lays down rules for the notification to the Commission from third country
flag States for the purpose of the acceptance of catch certificates validated by such flag States to ensure, inter alia,
that consignments of fishery products entering the Union from third countries comply with that prohibition.
(1) OJ L 165, 29.6.2023, p. 103.
(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate
illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1936/2001 and (EC) No 601/2004 and
repealing Regulations (EC) No 1093/94 and (EC) No 1447/1999 (OJ L 286, 29.10.2008, p. 1).27.9.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 238/109
(5) Council Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU(3) establishes a list of non-cooperating third countries in fighting
IUU fishing pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008.
(6) Article 9(4), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 provides that where the Commission has received the written
evidence, it may adopt an implementing act listing the flag States of the fishing vessel catching fishery products that
may enter into Northern Ireland as retail goods from other parts of the United Kingdom, and be placed on the
market in Northern Ireland.
(7) By letter dated 4 September 2023, the United Kingdom provides the written evidence that import conditions, official
controls and verification requirements apply under the national law of the United Kingdom and import conditions,
official controls and verification requirements are effectively implemented by the United Kingdom.
(8) As the United Kingdom has provided the necessary written evidence required by Article 9(2), point (a), of Regulation
(EU) 2023/1231, it is appropriate to establish the list of flag States of fishing vessels catching fishery products that
may enter into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom and be placed on the market in Northern
Ireland as retail goods, after having been imported into other parts of the United Kingdom. That list should take
into account the notification requirement laid down in Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008, and the list of
non-cooperating third countries established by Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU.
(9) In the interest of legal certainty and to avoid unnecessary trade disruptions, this Regulation should take effect as a
matter of urgency.
(10) The obligation to mark retail goods in accordance with Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 applies from
1 October 2023. This Regulation should therefore apply from 1 October 2023 to ensure consistency and legal
certainty and avoid unnecessary trade disruptions.
(11) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fisheries and
Aquaculture,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Subject matter and scope
This Regulation establishes the list of third countries other than the United Kingdom which are flag States of fishing vessels
catching fishery products that may enter into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom and be placed on
the market in Northern Ireland as retail goods in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231, after having
been imported into other parts of the United Kingdom (‘the list of flag States’).
Article 2
List of flag States
The list of flag States is set out in the Annex.
(3) Council Implementing Decision 2014/170/EU of 24 March 2014 establishing a list of non-cooperating third countries in fighting IUU
fishing pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing (OJ L 91, 27.3.2014, p. 43).L 238/110 EN Official Journal of the European Union 27.9.2023
Article 3
Entry into force and application
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall apply from 1 October 2023.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 26 September 2023
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN27.9.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 238/111
ANNEX
ALBANIA
ALGERIA
ANGOLA
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
ARGENTINA
AUSTRALIA
BAHAMAS
BANGLADESH
BELIZE
BENIN
BRAZIL
CANADA
CABO VERDE
CHILE
CHINA
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
CUBA
CURAÇAO
ECUADOR
EGYPT
EL SALVADOR
ERITREA
FALKLAND ISLANDS
FAROES
FIJI
FRENCH POLYNESIA
FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS
GABON
GHANA
GREENLAND
GRENADA
GUATEMALA
GUINEA
GUYANA
ICELANDL 238/112 EN Official Journal of the European Union 27.9.2023
INDIA
INDONESIA
JAMAICA
JAPAN
KENYA
KIRIBATI
MADAGASCAR
MALAYSIA
MALDIVES
MAURITANIA
MAURITIUS
MEXICO
MONTENEGRO
MOROCCO
MOZAMBIQUE
MYANMAR/BURMA
NAMIBIA
NEW CALEDONIA
NEW ZEALAND
NICARAGUA
NIGERIA
NORWAY
OMAN
PAKISTAN
PANAMÁ
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
PERU
PHILIPPINES
RUSSIA
SAINT HELENA
SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON
SENEGAL
SEYCHELLES
SOLOMON ISLANDS
SOUTH AFRICA
SOUTH KOREA
SRI LANKA27.9.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 238/113
SURINAME
TAIWAN
TANZANIA
THAILAND
THE GAMBIA
TRISTAN DA CUNHA
TUNISIA
TÜRKIYE
UKRAINE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA
VIETNAM
WALLIS AND FUTUNA
YEMEN