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 ).

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.

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.