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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The intersessional meeting of the Compliance Committee (CoC) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) was held on 26–27 January 2017 at FAO headquarters. Following the conclusions of the tenth session of the CoC (Malta, May/June 2016), this meeting analysed the replies of GFCM contracting parties and cooperating non-contracting parties (CPCs) to requests for clarification sent by the GFCM Secretariat regarding the status of implementation of GFCM decisions and the submission of relevant data and information. In addition, the meeting discussed the operationalization of technical assistance in light of the different requests received by the GFCM Secretariat and with a view to addressing existing gaps in compliance. Moreover, the CoC examined the responses received to letters that were sent to relevant non-contracting parties whose fishing vessels had been sighted in the GFCM area of application and reviewed other cases previously brought to its attention. The intersessional meeting of the CoC was preceded by a session on the Review Panel, which was convened, acting upon the decision of the Commission, in order to discuss the activation of this mechanism pursuant to Rule XVI of the GFCM Rules of Procedure.