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CHAPTER IIFISHING ACTIVITIES BY COMMUNITY FISHING VESSELS OUTSIDE COMMUNITY WATERS

SECTION IVReporting obligations and closure of fishing activities

Article 16Suspension of fishing authorisations

1.Where an authorising authority under a fisheries agreement notifies the Commission of its decision to suspend or withdraw a fishing authorisation in respect of a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State, the Commission shall forthwith inform the flag Member State thereof. The Commission shall carry out the relevant checks, in accordance with the procedures laid down under the agreement concerned, where appropriate in consultation with the flag Member State and with the authorising authorities of the third country concerned, and shall inform the flag Member State and, where appropriate, the authorising authorities of the third country of the outcome.

2.Where an authorising authority of a third country suspends a fishing authorisation which it has granted to a Community fishing vessel, the flag Member State shall suspend the fishing permit under the agreement for the entire period of suspension of the fishing authorisation.

Where the fishing authorisation is definitively withdrawn by the authorising authorities of a third country, the flag Member State shall immediately withdraw the fishing permit granted to the vessel concerned under the agreement concerned.

3.Inspection and surveillance reports drawn up by Commission inspectors, Community inspectors, inspectors of Member States or inspectors of a third country, which is party to the agreement concerned, shall constitute admissible evidence in administrative or judicial proceedings of any Member State. For the purpose of establishing facts, those reports shall be treated equally to inspection and surveillance reports of the Member State concerned.