The European Parliament adopted by 624 votes to 12, with 56 abstentions, a resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, on the other hand and the Implementation Protocol thereto.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement and the protocol.

The new agreement repeals and replaces the existing agreement, which entered into force on 28 June 2007. It covers a period of six years (2021-2026) from the date of its provisional application and is renewable by tacit agreement. The new protocol covers a period of four years (2021-2024) from the date of its provisional application and can be extended for two years.

The new agreement and its implementing protocol aim to achieve the priorities of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy and its external dimension, with a view to continuing and strengthening the strategic partnership between the European Union and the Governments of

Greenland and Denmark in the field of fisheries.

The purpose of the Protocol is to provide fishing opportunities to EU vessels in Greenland waters in accordance with best available scientific advice and the recommendations of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC). The aim is also to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and Greenland, thereby creating a partnership framework within which to develop the Greenlandic fisheries sector fisheries policy and to promote sound exploitation of fishery resources in Greenlandic waters, in the interests of both parties.

The species covered by the new Protocol are Cod, Pelagic Redfish, Demersal Redfish, Greenland Halibut, Northern Prawn, Grenadier, Capelin and Mackerel.

The new Protocol provides fishing opportunities for 12 vessels. In return, the EU budget will allocate an annual financial compensation to Greenland of EUR 16 521 754, of which EUR 2 931 000 is earmarked to support the Greenland Fisheries Policy.

The Committee on Fisheries adopted the recommendation by Pierre KARLESKIND (Renew Europe, FR) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, on the other hand and the Implementation Protocol thereto.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

As a reminder, the aim of the new agreement and protocol will enable 12 EU vessels to make use of fishing opportunities in Greenland’s waters for eight species: cod, pelagic redfish, demersal redfish, Greenland halibut, northern prawn, grenadier, capelin and Atlantic mackerel. The agreement will be valid for four years renewable for a further two. Members considered that the new agreement and protocol needed to be negotiated to bring them closer into line with fishing opportunities and scientific advice, to increase flexibility regarding catches, to introduce a lower by-catch quota and establish a six-year validity period for the protocol.

In general, both the agreement and the protocol will contribute to better management and conservation of fishery resources, through financial support (sectoral support) for the implementation of programmes adopted at national level by the partner country, in particular to reinforce monitoring, control and surveillance.

The agreement provides for financial compensation from the EU of EUR 16 521 754, of which EUR 2 931 000 is earmarked for support for and the development of Greenland’s fisheries sector.

It was stressed in the explanatory statement that the negotiations on the agreement and protocol thereto were held in parallel with the negotiations on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which delayed the conclusion of an agreement. It was also stressed that Brexit has destabilised relations with all North Atlantic countries and therefore particular attention needs to be paid to this state of affairs.

PURPOSE: to conclude a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, Greenland and Denmark and the Implementation Protocol thereto.

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 Commission negotiated on behalf of the EU a new sustainable fisheries partnership agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, on the other hand as well as a new implementation protocol to the partnership agreement. The agreement and the protocol were initialled at the end of those negotiations on 11 January 2021.

The agreement repeals the previous agreement that entered into force on 28 June 2007. The agreement and protocol have been applied on a provisional basis from the date of their signature.

These should now be approved on behalf of the European Union.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council authorise the signing and provisional application of the sustainable fisheries partnership agreement and the implementation protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution.

The new agreement covers a period of six years (2021-2026) from the date of its provisional application, renewable by tacit agreement. It pursues the priorities of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy and its external dimension, with a view of continuing and reinforcing the strategic partnership between the European Union and the Governments of Greenland and Denmark in the field of fisheries.

Fishing opportunities

The species covered by the new protocol are Cod, Pelagic Redfish, Demersal Redfish, Greenland Halibut, Northern Prawn, Grenadier, Capelin and Mackerel. The new protocol provides fishing opportunities for 12 vessels. Six EU Member States have a direct fishing interest in the new Protocol, namely Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden and, to a lesser degree, Spain and Portugal.

Joint committee

The new agreement establishes the Joint Committee responsible for monitoring its implementation. The Joint Committee may approve certain amendments to the protocol. In order to facilitate the approval of such amendments, the Commission should be empowered, subject to specific conditions, to approve them under a simplified procedure.

Budgetary implications

The annual financial contribution from the EU is EUR 16 521 754, based on:

a) an annual amount for access to fishery resources for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 13 590 754 for the duration of the protocol;

b) support for the development of Greenland’s sectoral fisheries policy amounting to EUR 2 931 000 for the duration of the protocol.

The annual amount for commitment and payment appropriations is established during the annual budgetary procedure, including for the reserve line for protocols not yet having entered into force at the beginning of the year.