1. The Agency may acquire, itself or in co-ownership with a Member State, or lease technical equipment for external border control to be deployed during joint operations, pilot projects, rapid interventions, joint return operations or technical assistance projects in accordance with the financial rules applicable to the Agency.

- computerise, where possible, and develop appropriate systems for improving the application of measures for the management and conservation of fish stocks (see Sheet 5: Monitoring – Computerisation );

► This reform will require in particular: 1) increased prior and early consultations (‘frontloading’); 2) the improvement of drafting, in particular by making certain provisions clearer, but also by improving consistency with provisions under other regulatory frameworks; 3) the gradual elimination of reporting obligations that are unnecessary or of limited value, notably as part of simplifying initiatives such as the ones proposed under ‘Monitoring - Reduction of reporting obligations’ (see Sheet 6); 4) improving the consistency of administrative obligations and restrictions on fishermen affected by TACs/Quotas; 5) improving the coordination of control provision ...[+++]s, including through use of the new information technologies (IT) such as the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and other initiatives envisaged as part of the simplifying initiatives proposed in the context of ‘Monitoring – Computerisation’ (see Sheet 5) | ►2006–07, by the Commission, the Member States and the industry (RAC and ACFA) |

1. Tasks related to official controls shall, in general, be carried out using appropriate control methods and techniques such as monitoring, surveillance, verification, audit, inspection, sampling and analysis.

In the field of customs cooperation, progress has been made in terms of both personnel (reorganisation and intensification of training) and technical capacity (new equipment, computerisation of the Customs and Excise Directorate).

Nevertheless, it is also obvious that auditing by electronic means provides a possibility for administrations to increase control efficiency and to lower control costs.