The European Parliament approved by 639 votes to 29, with 27 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands concerning an extension of the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The aim of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters is to enable the Union and the Government of the Cook Islands to continue working together to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and the sound exploitation of fisheries resources in the waters of the Cook Islands, and to allow Union vessels to carry out their fishing activities in those waters.

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement should provide fishing opportunities for vessels flying the flags of Member States based on the best scientific advice available, in compliance with the conservation and management measures laid down by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) within the limits of the available surplus.

The Protocol provides fishing opportunities for four tuna seiners. It provides for an annual financial contribution of EUR 735 000 for the first and second years and EUR 700 000 for the third and fourth years, this being based on:

- a reference tonnage of 7 000 tonnes, for which the access-related amounts have been set at EUR 385 000 for the first and the second years and EUR 350 000 for the third and fourth years; and

- support for the development of the Cook Islands’ sectoral fisheries policy, amounting to EUR 350 000 for the first, second, third, and fourth years. This is in line with the aims of national fisheries policy, not least the Cook Islands’ needs both as regards support for scientific research and small-scale fisheries and as regards monitoring, control, surveillance, and measures to combat illegal fishing.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands concerning the extension of the Protocol implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands.

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 Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters concerning an extension of the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands, expiring on 13 October 2020, was signed, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters should now be approved.

CONTENT: the Council’s draft aims to approve, on behalf of the EU, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands concerning an extension of the Protocol implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands.

The aim of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters is to enable the EU and the Government of the Cook Islands to continue working together to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and the sound exploitation of fisheries resources in the Cook Islands’ waters, and to allow Union vessels to carry out their fishing activities in those waters.

The Agreement aims to ensure the extension of the Protocol currently in force setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands, pending the finalisation of negotiations for the renewal of the Protocol.

From the signature of the exchange of letters, the arrangements applicable during the last year of the Protocol would be renewed under the same conditions for a maximum period of one year. The amount of sectoral support relating to the extension of the agreement is EUR 350 000.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands concerning the extension of the Protocol implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands, which expires on 13 October 2020.

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: on 7 July 2020, the Council adopted a mandate authorising the European Commission to open negotiations for a new protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands and for the possible prolongation of the current protocol to that Agreement, which will expire on 13 October 2020.

In view of the complexity of the negotiations on a new Protocol to the Partnership Agreement on sustainable fisheries between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands, the two parties agreed on an extension of the current Protocol for a maximum period of one year, in accordance with the Council mandate.

This extension was established by an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, initialled on 29 July 2020 in Brussels and Rarotonga (Cook Islands). The extension of the Protocol to the existing Agreement would make it possible to avoid interrupting the fishing activities of European vessels when the protocol expires on 13 October 2020, pending the finalisation of the negotiations on the renewal of the protocol.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council decide to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands concerning the extension for one year of the framework established by the Protocol expiring on 13 October 2020.

The aim of the Agreement is also to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands, thereby creating a partnership framework within which to develop a sustainable fisheries policy and sound exploitation of fishery resources in the fishing zone of the Cook Islands, in the interests of both parties.

The current EU-Cook Islands protocol allows the EU fleet to fish in the Cook Islands waters for tuna species, for indicative annual fishing opportunities of 7 000 tonnes.

The annual financial contribution from the European Union is EUR 700 000, based on:

(a) an annual amount for access to fishery resources for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 350 000 for the duration of the extension to the Protocol;

(b) support for the development of the Cook Islands’ sectoral fisheries policy amounting to EUR 350 000 for the duration of the extension to the Protocol. This support meets the objectives of the Cook Islands’ national policy on the sustainable management of their maritime fishery resources for the entire duration of the Protocol.