Community criteria for verifications
Article 31
Open ↗Verifications intended to ensure that the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 are complied with, as referred to in Article 17 of that Regulation, shall be focused towards risks identified on the basis of the following Community criteria: (a) importation, exportation or trade in fishery products obtained from species of high commercial value; (b) introduction of new kinds of fishery products or discovery of new trade patterns; (c) inconsistencies between the trade patterns and the known fishing activities of a flag State in particular in respect of species, volumes or characteristics of its fishing fleet; (d) inconsistencies between the trade patterns and the known fishing-related activities of a third country in particular in respect of the characteristics of its processing industry or its trade in fishery products; (e) trade pattern not justified in terms of economic criteria; (f) involvement of a newly established operator; (g) significant and sudden increase in trade volume for a certain species; (h) submission of copies of catch certificates accompanying processing statements according to Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008, for instance when the catch has been split during production; (i) prior notification, required under Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008, not transmitted at the proper time or information incomplete; (j) inconsistencies between catch data declared by the operator and other information available to the competent authority; (k) vessel or vessel owner suspected of being or having been involved in IUU fishing activities; (l) vessel having recently changed name, flag or registration number; (m) flag State not notified according to Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 or information available on possible irregularities in the validation of catch certificates by a given flag State (e.g. stamps or validation seal from a competent authority lost, stolen or forged); (n) presumed deficiencies in the control system of a flag State; (o) operators concerned who have already been involved in illegal activities constituting a potential risk in respect of IUU fishing.