Decommissioning of the vesselI18

1

At least two weeks prior to the decommissioning of the vessel the applicant shall notify the Ministers in writing of the intended date and place of decommissioning (which shall be within a member State) and the proposed method of decommissioning.

2

The vessel shall not be decommissioned until the method of decommissioning notified under sub-paragraph (1) has been approved by the Ministers.

3

The vessel shall be decommissioned–

a

before the appropriate decommissioning date; and

b

in accordance with–

i

the method of decommissioning which has been approved by the Ministers under sub-paragraph (2); or

ii

in exceptional circumstances and with the consent of the Ministers (which may be given before or after the decommissioning), any other method of decommissioning which accords with sub-paragraph (4).

4

In this Scheme “decommissioning”, in relation to a vessel, means the permanent withdrawal of that vessel from operation within the sea fish industry of the European Community by any means within the provisions of Article 7 of Council Regulation 2792/1999.