The European Parliament adopted by 537 votes to 64, with 87 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

In line with the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries, the European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Protocol. It also adopted a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council Decision.

The Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau entered into force on 15 April 2008. The last Protocol to the Agreement entered into force on 24 November 2014 and expired on 23 November 2017.

The current Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2019-2024) has been provisionally applied since the date of its signature, i.e. 15 November 2018.

The Fisheries Agreement authorises vessels from several Member States of the Union to fish in the waters of Guinea-Bissau. The Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories: freezer shrimp trawlers; freezer fin-fish and cephalopod trawlers; small pelagic trawlers; freezer tuna vessels and longliners; pole-and-line tuna vessels.

The Agreement covers several species, in particular tuna, cephalopods, shrimps and demersal species. The fishing opportunities provided for in the Agreement are based on the best scientific advice available and on the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

The annual public financial contribution from the Union shall be EUR 15 600 000 and shall comprise: (i) an amount for access to fisheries resources, for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 11 600 000 per year for the entire duration of the Protocol; (ii) support for the development of Guinea-Bissau's sectoral fisheries policy and the blue economy, amounting to EUR 4 000 000 per year for the entire duration of the Protocol.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau (2019-2024).

PROPOSED ACT: Council decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau entered into force on 15 April 2008. The last Protocol to the Agreement entered into force on 24 November 2014 and expired on 23 November 2017.

Following the Commission's recommendation, the Council decided on 28 February 2017 to authorise the opening of negotiations with the Republic of Guinea-Bissau with a view to concluding a new protocol implementing the agreement.

The Commission negotiated, on behalf of the Union, a new Protocol. As a result of those negotiations, the new Protocol was initialled on 15 November 2018. The Protocol shall be applied on a provisional basis from the date of its signature. It should now be approved.

CONTENT: the draft Council Decision concerns the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau (2019-2024).

The objective of the Protocol is to enable the Union and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to work more closely on promoting a sustainable fisheries policy, sound exploitation of fishery resources in Guinea-Bissau waters and efforts by Guinea-Bissau to develop a blue economy.

The Agreement establishes the Joint Committee responsible for monitoring its implementation. The Commission may adopt certain amendments to the Protocol. In order to facilitate the approval of these amendments, the Commission should be authorised, subject to specific substantive and procedural conditions, to approve them on behalf of the Union under a simplified procedure.

The Union position on the modifications to the Protocol shall be established by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States. The proposed amendments shall be accepted unless a blocking minority of the Member States objects in the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States.

Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2019-2024)

The new Protocol provides fishing opportunities for EU vessels in Guinea Bissau waters, based on the best available scientific advice and in compliance with the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). It shall enable the European Union and the Republic of Guinea Bissau to work more closely together to promote the responsible exploitation of fisheries resources in Guinea Bissau's waters and to support Guinea Bissau's efforts to develop its blue economy, in the interest of both parties.

Principles

The Parties undertake to :

- promote responsible fishing in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau’s fishing zone on the basis of the principle of non-discrimination;

- ensure that this Protocol is implemented in accordance with the Cotonou Agreement concerning essential elements regarding human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, and fundamental elements regarding good governance, sustainable development and sound environmental management;

- publish and exchange information on any agreement allowing foreign vessels to enter Guinea-Bissau’s fishing zone and on the resulting fishing effort, in particular the number of authorisations issued and the catches made.

Fishing opportunities

The Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories:

- shrimp freezer trawlers;

- fin-fish and cephalopod freezer trawlers;

- small pelagic trawlers;

- tuna freezer seiners and longliners;

- pole-and-line tuna vessels.

For the first three categories, fishing opportunities are expressed in terms of fishing effort (GRT) for the first two years and in terms of catch limit (TAC) for the last three years. The transition from an effort management system (based on GRT) to a catch limit system (based on TAC) shall be accompanied by the implementation of the system of electronic catch reporting (Electronic Reporting System, ERS) and catch data processing.

Financial contribution

The European Union's annual financial contribution amounts to EUR 15 600 000. It comprises:

- an annual amount for access to fishery resources in Guinea-Bissau’s fishing zone of EUR 11 600 000; and

- support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy and the blue economy of Guinea-Bissau for an amount of EUR 4 000 000 per year for the entire duration of the Protocol. This support meets the objectives of Guinea-Bissau’s national policy on the sustainable management of its continental and maritime fishery resources for the entire duration of the Protocol.

Sectoral support

This shall contribute to the implementation of the national strategy for fisheries and the blue economy. It aims to support the sustainable management of fishery resources and the development of the sector, in particular by:

- strengthening: (i) the monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities (including by putting in place the ERS and ensuring it is operational); (ii) the collection and processing of data for scientific purposes and the capacity to analyse and assess fishery resources and fisheries; (iii) the capacity of operators in the fisheries sector; (iv) international cooperation;

- supporting small-scale fishing; improving the conditions for exporting fishery products and promoting investment in the sector; developing infrastructure relevant to fisheries; supporting the blue economy and developing aquaculture.

No later than three months after the entry into force or, if applicable, the provisional application of the Protocol, the Joint Committee shall adopt a multi-annual sectoral programme and detailed rules for its application.

The new Protocol covers a period of 5 years from the date of its provisional application, i.e. from the date of its signature.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau (2019-2024).

PROPOSED ACT: Council decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau entered into force on 15 April 2008. The last Protocol to the Agreement entered into force on 24 November 2014 and expired on 23 November 2017.

Following the Commission's recommendation, the Council decided on 28 February 2017 to authorise the opening of negotiations with the Republic of Guinea-Bissau with a view to concluding a new protocol implementing the agreement.

The Commission negotiated, on behalf of the Union, a new Protocol. As a result of those negotiations, the new Protocol was initialled on 15 November 2018. The Protocol shall be applied on a provisional basis from the date of its signature. It should now be approved.

CONTENT: the draft Council Decision concerns the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau (2019-2024).

The objective of the Protocol is to enable the Union and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to work more closely on promoting a sustainable fisheries policy, sound exploitation of fishery resources in Guinea-Bissau waters and efforts by Guinea-Bissau to develop a blue economy.

The Agreement establishes the Joint Committee responsible for monitoring its implementation. The Commission may adopt certain amendments to the Protocol. In order to facilitate the approval of these amendments, the Commission should be authorised, subject to specific substantive and procedural conditions, to approve them on behalf of the Union under a simplified procedure.

The Union position on the modifications to the Protocol shall be established by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States. The proposed amendments shall be accepted unless a blocking minority of the Member States objects in the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States.

PURPOSE: signature, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2019-2024).

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: on 17 March 2008, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 241/2008 on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, which entered into force on 15 April 2008, was then tacitly renewed and remains in force. The previous Protocol to this Agreement expired on 23 November 2017.

The Commission negotiated, on behalf of the European Union, a new Protocol on the implementation of the Agreement. At the end of the negotiations, the Protocol was initialled on 15 November 2018. The Protocol covers a period of five years from the date of its provisional application, i.e. from the date of its signature.

The Protocol should be approved on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion at a later date. In order to ensure an expeditious start to fishing activities by Union vessels, the Protocol should be applied provisionally upon its signature, pending its entry into force.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council decide to authorise the signature, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea Bissau (2019-2024), subject to its conclusion.

The objective of the Protocol is to enable the European Union and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to work more closely on promoting a sustainable fisheries policy, sound exploitation of fisheries resources in Guinea-Bissau waters and efforts by Guinea-Bissau to develop a blue economy.

The Protocol provides fishing opportunities in the following categories: (i) shrimp freezer trawlers; (ii) fin-fish and cephalopod freezer trawlers; (iii) small pelagic trawlers; (iv) tuna freezer seiners and longliners; (v) pole-and-line tuna vessels.

The European Union's annual financial contribution amounts to EUR 15 600 000, based on:

- an annual amount for access to fishery resources for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 11 600 000 per year for the entire duration of the Protocol;

- support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy and the blue economy of Guinea-Bissau for an amount of EUR 4 000 000 per year for the entire duration of the Protocol. This support meets the objectives of Guinea-Bissau’s national policy on the sustainable management of its continental and maritime fishery resources for the entire duration of the Protocol.

The negotiation of a new protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Guinea-Bissau forms part of the Union’s external action in relation to ACP countries and takes into account, in particular, Union objectives on respecting democratic principles and human rights.