BETA


2022/0014(NLE) EU/Mauritius Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution 2017-2021. Extension of the Protocol

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead PECH BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun (icon: Renew Renew) SCHREIJER-PIERIK Annie (icon: EPP EPP), PIZARRO Manuel (icon: S&D S&D), D'AMATO Rosa (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), STANCANELLI Raffaele (icon: ECR ECR)
Committee Opinion BUDG GHEORGHE Vlad (icon: Renew Renew) Eider GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL (icon: S&D S&D), Francisco GUERREIRO (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), Niclas HERBST (icon: PPE PPE)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 043-p2, TFEU 218-p6a

Events

2022/10/04
   Final act published in Official Journal
2022/09/29
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2022/09/13
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2022/09/13
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 555 votes to 25, with 40 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on an extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.

The Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) signed by the European Union and Mauritius on 21 December 2013 entered into force on 28 January 2014, for a period of 6 years, tacitly renewable for additional periods of 3 years. The last fisheries Protocol covered the period until 7 December 2021.

On 28 September 2021, the Council adopted a decision authorising the European Commission to open negotiations for a new Protocol to the FPA EU-Mauritius with the option of a limited prolongation of the current Protocol to avoid interruption of the fishing activities. When tourism collapsed, the country's economy relied on the activities of the tuna vessels, which continued to maintain their fishing and supply the local canneries despite the global crisis.

Furthermore, due to the restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the complex nature of the negotiations, both parties agreed to extend the Protocol 2017-2021 for a maximum period of six months , in line with the said Council decision. The extension was established by way of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, which was initialled on 6 December 2021.

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters provides for indicative fishing opportunities of 2 000 tonnes and a corresponding adjustment of the EU financial contribution for access. The EU’s financial contribution for six months is EUR 287 500.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement which aims to extend the current Protocol by six months under the same terms and conditions ( pro rata temporis ).

Documents
2022/07/19
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
2022/07/19
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
2022/07/12
   EP - Vote in committee
2022/06/30
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2022/05/19
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2022/05/05
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2022/04/28
   EP - BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in PECH
2022/04/08
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.

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 between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius, signed subject to its conclusion at a later date, must now be approved.

CONTENT: the draft Council Decision concerns the approval on behalf of the Union of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius

The objectives of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters are to enable the Union and the Republic of Mauritius to continue to work together to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and responsible exploitation of fisheries resources in the waters of Mauritius and to allow Union vessels to engage in fishing activities in those waters.

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters provides for indicative fishing opportunities of 2 000 tonnes and a corresponding adjustment of the EU financial contribution for access. The EU’s financial contribution for six months is EUR 287 500.

Documents
2022/02/03
   EP - GHEORGHE Vlad (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in BUDG
2022/01/25
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2022/01/25
   EP - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on an extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.

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 28 September 2021, the Council adopted a decision authorising the European Commission to open negotiations for a new protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius and, if necessary, in order to avoid interruption of fishing activities, for a limited extension of the current 2017-2021 protocol to the Agreement, which expired on 7 December 2021.

The 2017-2021 Protocol allowed the EU fleet to fish for tuna and tuna-like species in Mauritian waters, up to an indicative level of annual fishing possibilities set at 4000 tonnes.

The two parties have agreed on an extension of the 2017-2021 Protocol for a maximum period of six months. This extension was established by an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, initialled on 6 December 2021.

CONTENT: the purpose of the proposal for a decision is to authorise the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters extending for a maximum period of six months the 2017-2021 Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.

Objectives

The aim of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is to:

- continue granting fishing opportunities to European Union vessels in Mauritius waters in accordance with scientific advice and the recommendations of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), within the limits of the available surplus;

- continue strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius, 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 Republic of Mauritius, in the interests of both parties.

The Agreement forms part of the EU’s external action in relation to ACP countries and takes into account, in particular, EU objectives on respecting democratic principles and human rights.

Fishing opportunities and financial contribution

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters provides for indicative fishing opportunities of 2 000 tonnes and a corresponding adjustment of the EU financial contribution for access.

The EU’s financial contribution for six months is EUR 287 500 , based on:

(a) an amount for access to fishery resources for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 110 000 for the duration of the extension of the Protocol;

(b) support for the development of the Republic of Mauritius’s sectoral fisheries policy amounting to EUR 110 000 for the duration of the extension of the Protocol. This support meets the objectives of the Republic of Mauritius’s national policy on the sustainable management of their maritime fishery resources for the entire duration of the extension of the Protocol;

(c) support for the development of maritime policy and ocean economy amounting to EUR 67 500.

Documents

Votes

Accord de partenariat de pêche UE/Maurice: possibilités de pêche et contrepartie financière 2017-2021. Prorogation du protocole - EU/Mauritius Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution 2017-2021. Extension of the Protocol - Partnerschaftliches Fischereiabkommen EU/Mauritius: Fangmöglichkeiten und finanzielle Gegenleistung 2017–2021. Verlängerung des Protokolls - A9-0211/2022 - Izaskun Bilbao Barandica - Projet de décision du Conseil #

2022/09/13 Outcome: +: 555, 0: 40, -: 25
DE FR ES PL IT RO NL PT HU CZ BE EL AT SE DK BG IE FI SK LT HR LV SI CY LU EE MT
Total
88
74
55
42
55
29
28
19
18
20
21
19
18
17
12
11
10
14
11
9
11
8
7
6
6
7
5
icon: PPE PPE
156

Hungary PPE

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2
2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
132

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

2
3

Slovakia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
92

Poland Renew

1

Italy Renew

2

Hungary Renew

For (1)

1

Greece Renew

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Sweden Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
64

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
50

Germany ECR

1

Greece ECR

1

Sweden ECR

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

1

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
36

Germany NI

For (1)

3

France NI

2

Slovakia NI

2

Lithuania NI

1

Croatia NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Latvia NI

2
icon: ID ID
56

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Austria ID

3

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
34

Germany The Left

Abstain (1)

5

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

3

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

events/5
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
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date
2022-09-29T00:00:00
type
Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
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procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting final decision
New
Procedure completed
events/6
date
2022-10-04T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
docs
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title
Decision 2022/1846
url
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docs/4
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0305_EN.html title: T9-0305/2022
type
Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/5/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted by 555 votes to 25, with 40 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on an extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.
  • The Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) signed by the European Union and Mauritius on 21 December 2013 entered into force on 28 January 2014, for a period of 6 years, tacitly renewable for additional periods of 3 years. The last fisheries Protocol covered the period until 7 December 2021.
  • On 28 September 2021, the Council adopted a decision authorising the European Commission to open negotiations for a new Protocol to the FPA EU-Mauritius with the option of a limited prolongation of the current Protocol to avoid interruption of the fishing activities. When tourism collapsed, the country's economy relied on the activities of the tuna vessels, which continued to maintain their fishing and supply the local canneries despite the global crisis.
  • Furthermore, due to the restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the complex nature of the negotiations, both parties agreed to extend the Protocol 2017-2021 for a maximum period of six months , in line with the said Council decision. The extension was established by way of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, which was initialled on 6 December 2021.
  • The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters provides for indicative fishing opportunities of 2 000 tonnes and a corresponding adjustment of the EU financial contribution for access. The EU’s financial contribution for six months is EUR 287 500.
  • The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement which aims to extend the current Protocol by six months under the same terms and conditions ( pro rata temporis ).
docs/4
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0305_EN.html title: T9-0305/2022
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EP
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2022-09-13T00:00:00
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forecasts
  • date: 2022-09-13T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament's vote
New
Awaiting final decision
docs/3/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2022-0211_EN.html
events/4/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2022-0211_EN.html
forecasts/0/date
Old
2022-09-14T00:00:00
New
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docs/3
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  • title: A9-0211/2022
events/4
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date
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type
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2022-06-30T00:00:00
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BUDG
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Committee opinion
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docs
title: PE731.799
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body
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events/1/summary
  • PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.
  • 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 between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius, signed subject to its conclusion at a later date, must now be approved.
  • CONTENT: the draft Council Decision concerns the approval on behalf of the Union of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius
  • The objectives of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters are to enable the Union and the Republic of Mauritius to continue to work together to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and responsible exploitation of fisheries resources in the waters of Mauritius and to allow Union vessels to engage in fishing activities in those waters.
  • The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters provides for indicative fishing opportunities of 2 000 tonnes and a corresponding adjustment of the EU financial contribution for access. The EU’s financial contribution for six months is EUR 287 500.
events/3
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  • name: SCHREIJER-PIERIK Annie group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
  • name: PIZARRO Manuel group: Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats abbr: S&D
  • name: D'AMATO Rosa group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance abbr: Verts/ALE
  • name: STANCANELLI Raffaele group: European Conservatives and Reformists Group abbr: ECR
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  • Mauritius
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  • name: BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun date: 2022-04-28T00:00:00 group: Renew Europe group abbr: Renew
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  • PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius on an extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.
  • 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 28 September 2021, the Council adopted a decision authorising the European Commission to open negotiations for a new protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius and, if necessary, in order to avoid interruption of fishing activities, for a limited extension of the current 2017-2021 protocol to the Agreement, which expired on 7 December 2021.
  • The 2017-2021 Protocol allowed the EU fleet to fish for tuna and tuna-like species in Mauritian waters, up to an indicative level of annual fishing possibilities set at 4000 tonnes.
  • The two parties have agreed on an extension of the 2017-2021 Protocol for a maximum period of six months. This extension was established by an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, initialled on 6 December 2021.
  • CONTENT: the purpose of the proposal for a decision is to authorise the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters extending for a maximum period of six months the 2017-2021 Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius.
  • Objectives
  • The aim of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is to:
  • - continue granting fishing opportunities to European Union vessels in Mauritius waters in accordance with scientific advice and the recommendations of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), within the limits of the available surplus;
  • - continue strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius, 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 Republic of Mauritius, in the interests of both parties.
  • The Agreement forms part of the EU’s external action in relation to ACP countries and takes into account, in particular, EU objectives on respecting democratic principles and human rights.
  • Fishing opportunities and financial contribution
  • The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters provides for indicative fishing opportunities of 2 000 tonnes and a corresponding adjustment of the EU financial contribution for access.
  • The EU’s financial contribution for six months is EUR 287 500 , based on:
  • (a) an amount for access to fishery resources for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 110 000 for the duration of the extension of the Protocol;
  • (b) support for the development of the Republic of Mauritius’s sectoral fisheries policy amounting to EUR 110 000 for the duration of the extension of the Protocol. This support meets the objectives of the Republic of Mauritius’s national policy on the sustainable management of their maritime fishery resources for the entire duration of the extension of the Protocol;
  • (c) support for the development of maritime policy and ocean economy amounting to EUR 67 500.