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:

1. (a)

   importation, exportation or trade in fishery products obtained from species of high commercial value;

2. (b)

   introduction of new kinds of fishery products or discovery of new trade patterns;

3. (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;

4. (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;

5. (e)

   trade pattern not justified in terms of economic criteria;

6. (f)

   involvement of a newly established operator;

7. (g)

   significant and sudden increase in trade volume for a certain species;

8. (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;

9. (i)

   prior notification, required under Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008, not transmitted at the proper time or information incomplete;

10. (j)

    inconsistencies between catch data declared by the operator and other information available to the competent authority;

11. (k)

    vessel or vessel owner suspected of being or having been involved in IUU fishing activities;

12. (l)

    vessel having recently changed name, flag or registration number;

13. (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);

14. (n)

    presumed deficiencies in the control system of a flag State;

15. (o)

    operators concerned who have already been involved in illegal activities constituting a potential risk in respect of IUU fishing.