31.3.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 80/7 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 657/2000 of 27 March 2000 on closer dialogue with the fishing sector and groups affected by the common fisheries policy THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Whereas: (1) In order to give the representatives of the fishery prod- ucts and aquaculture industry together with the other groups concerned a greater role in the design, drafting and implementation of the common fisheries policy (CFP), it is necessary to establish closer dialogue with these groups and to make the entire decision-making process more transparent, especially in the preparatory stages. 20 In view of the tasks of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) renewed under Commission Decision 1999/478/EC (!), these objectives of closer dialogue and transparency could be made easier by the introduction of new measures to improve the organisation of meetings of the ACFA, on the one hand, and the communication to the groups concerned of information concerning the issues at stake and the results achieved, on the other. (3)  To that end, the European trade organisations should be given help in preparing meetings of the ACFA with a view to stimulating comprehensive study of the issues involved in the CFP and the impact of its measures, fostering initiatives from the industry and seeking, if possible, common positions on Commission draft proposals. (4)  In order to improve the circumstances in which deci- sions are taken the industry should be informed at a very early stage of the initiatives planned and the aims and details of the different CFP measures should be explained to all the groups concerned, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Within the conditions laid down in the Annex, the Commis- sion shall bear the cost of: — meetings arranged by the European trade organisations which are aimed at preparing meetings of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, — explaining the objectives of, and measures relating to, the common fisheries policy, and in particular Commission proposals, and of disseminating relevant information in this field to the fishing industry and the groups concerned, maintaining regular contact with the organisations and groups concerned. Funding may be provided also for meetings of experts arranged by the Commission to support the activities referred to in the second indent of the first subparagraph. Article 2 The Commission may carry out all the verifications it considers necessary to ensure compliance with the conditions and performance of the tasks assigned by this Regulation to the European trade organisations, which shall assist the representa- tives appointed for this purpose by the Commission. Article 3 This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 27 March 2000. () O] L 187, 20.7.1999, p. 70. For the Council The President F. GOMES