Case T-61/01

Vendedurías de Armadores Reunidos, SA

v

Commission of the European Communities

‛Fisheries — Community financial aid — Suspension of aid — Action for damages’

Judgment of the Court of First Instance (Third Chamber), 27 February 2003   II-329

Summary of the Judgment

Fisheries — Common structural policy — Improvement and adaptation of structures — Community financial assistance — Procedure for suspending, reducing or discontinuing aid allocated to the joint enterprise fisheries projects — Referral to the Standing Committee for the Fishing Industry — Need for prior fulfilment by the Commission of its obligations to inform and consult under Article 7 of Regulation No 111 6/88

(Council Regulation No 4028/86, Art. 44; Commission Regulation No 1116/88, Art. 7)

In order to comply with Article 7 of Regulation No 1116/88 laying down detailed rules for the application of decisions granting aid for projects concerning Community measures to improve and adapt structures in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and in structural works in coastal waters, the Commission must, before any referral to the Standing Committee for the Fishing Industry for its opinion on the measures proposed by the Commission for suspending, reducing or discontinuing aid allocated to the joint enterprise fisheries projects under Article 44 of Regulation No 4028/86 on Community measures to improve and adapt structures in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, fulfil the obligations laid down in Article 7 by informing the Member State on whose territory the project was to be carried out, consulting the competent authority responsible for forwarding supporting documents and asking the beneficiary to provide, through the authority or agency, an explanation for the failure to comply with the conditions laid down.

(see paras 52-53)