(Case C‑556/07)

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Common Fisheries Policy – Regulation (EC) No 894/97 – Drift net – Meaning – ‘Thonaille’ fishing net – Prohibition on the fishing of certain species – Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93 and (EC) No 2371/2002 – Lack of an effective system of monitoring to ensure compliance with that prohibition

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Common Fisheries Policy – Council Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (OJ 1993 L 261, p. 1) and (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (OJ 2002 L 358, p. 59) – Acceptance by national authorities of the ‘thonaille’ notwithstanding the Community prohibition on drag nets of a length greater than or equal to 2.5 km – Lack of an effective system of monitoring to ensure compliance with that prohibition.

Operative part

The Court:

1.Declares that, by failing sufficiently to monitor, inspect and supervise fishing activities in the light of the prohibition on drift nets for the capture of certain species, and by not ensuring that appropriate measures against those responsible for infringements of the Community legislation on the use of drift nets were taken, the French Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 2 and 31(1) and (2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 2846/98 of 17 December 1998 and Articles 23(1) and (2), 24 and 25(1) and (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy;

2.Orders the French Republic to pay the costs.