Official Journal of the European Union

C 148/6

(Case C-564/20) (<span class="oj-super oj-note-tag">1</span>)

(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common fisheries policy - Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 - Control system - Article 33(2)(a) and Article 34 - Recording of catches and fishing effort - Transmission to the European Commission of information concerning the quantities of nephrops caught - Possibility to use data other than those contained in the fishing logbook - Reasonable and scientifically valid method to process and verify data - Closure of fisheries)

(2022/C 148/08)

Language of the case: English

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: PF, MF

Defendants: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Sea Fisheries Protection Authority

Operative part of the judgment

Article 33(2)(a) and Article 34 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015, must be interpreted to the effect that the Single Control Authority of a Member State is not required to notify to the European Commission only the data recorded by the masters of fishing vessels in the fishing logbook, pursuant to Articles 14 and 15 of that regulation, but may use a reasonable and scientifically valid method, such as the ‘time spent’ methodology, to process those data in order to ensure the accuracy of the catch figures that it notifies to the Commission.

(<span class="oj-super">1</span>) OJ C 19, 18.1.2021.

Language of the case: English