BETA


2022/0362(NLE) EU/Seychelles Agreement: access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead PECH MATO Gabriel (icon: EPP EPP) AGUILERA Clara (icon: S&D S&D), BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun (icon: Renew Renew), GUERREIRO Francisco (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), ILČIĆ Ladislav (icon: ECR ECR), PIMENTA LOPES João (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 043-p2, TFEU 218-p6a, TFEU 218-p7

Events

2024/03/27
   Final act published in Official Journal
2024/03/25
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2024/02/29
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 364 votes to 139, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The aim of this new Agreement is to enable further strengthening of a strategic partnership with Seychelles and to contribute to responsible fishing in EU waters and developing fisheries policy in Mayotte. The technical and financial conditions of the Fisheries Access Agreement are also aligned with those the SFPA with Seychelles and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020.

This Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to ensuring responsible fishing and the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources in waters around Mayotte based on the principle of non-discrimination between the different fleets fishing in those waters.

The conditions governing access by Seychelles fishing vessels to these EU waters are further detailed in the annex to the agreement (fishing opportunities, fishing authorisations, monitoring, and observers, etc).

Under the agreement, eight Seychelles-flagged vessels (purse seiners) will be able to fish in Mayotte's waters, beyond 24-nautical miles from its coasts. Fishing opportunities are based on the best available scientific advice (and where applicable within the limits of the surplus available) and in line with the recommendations of the regional fisheries management organisation responsible, namely the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

Documents
2024/02/20
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
2024/02/20
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
2024/02/19
   EP - Vote in committee
2023/12/18
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2023/12/07
   EP - MATO Gabriel (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in PECH
2023/03/16
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2023/03/15
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte.

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 between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to Mayotte waters was signed subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Agreement has been applied provisionally from the date of its signature.

The Agreement should be approved.

CONTENT: the purpose of the draft Council Decision is to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to Mayotte waters.

The objective of the Agreement is to enable further strengthening of a strategic partnership with Seychelles and to align the technical and financial conditions of the Fisheries Access Agreement with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Seychelles and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020, and to contribute to responsible fishing in EU waters and to developing fishery policy in Mayotte.

The Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing:

- economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to promoting sustainable fishing in Union waters to guarantee the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and develop the fisheries sector in Mayotte;

- the conditions governing access by Seychelles fishing vessels to Union waters;

- the arrangements for the management, control and surveillance of fishing activities in Union waters with a view to ensuring compliance with the above rules and conditions; the effectiveness of measures for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and the management of fishing activities and the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Joint Committee may approve certain amendments thereto.

The Union’s position on amendments that are proposed to the Agreement should be established by the Council. The Commission should approve the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, unless a number of Member States constituting a blocking minority, object to them.

Documents
2022/11/10
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2022/11/10
   EP - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte.

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: t he agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte was signed and entered into provisional application on 20 May 2014 for a duration of 6 years. The Agreement of 2015 was tacitly renewed on 20 May 2020.

The Commission conducted negotiations with the Government of Seychelles with a view to concluding an agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles. Following these negotiations, a new agreement was initialled on 10 June 2022. The new Agreement covers a period of 6 years from the date of provisional application, that being the date on which it is signed by both parties.

As part of the evaluation of a possible future Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) and Protocol, consultations were held with Member States, industry representatives and international civil society organisations, as well as Seychelles’ fisheries administration and civil society. These consultations led to the conclusion that it would be beneficial for the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles to conclude a new agreement.

CONTENT: the purpose of this proposal is to authorise the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte .

The objective of the Agreement is to enable further strengthening of a strategic partnership with Seychelles and to align the technical and financial conditions of the Fisheries Access Agreement with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Seychelles and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020, and to contribute to responsible fishing in EU waters and to developing fishery policy in Mayotte

The Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing:

- economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to promoting sustainable fishing in Union waters to guarantee the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and develop the fisheries sector in Mayotte;

- the conditions governing access by Seychelles fishing vessels to Union waters;

- the arrangements for the management, control and surveillance of fishing activities in Union waters with a view to ensuring compliance with the above rules and conditions; the effectiveness of measures for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and the management of fishing activities and the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The Agreement provides fishing opportunities for Seychelles vessels in the Union waters of Mayotte. These fishing opportunities are based on the best available scientific advice and respect the recommendations of the regional fisheries organisation managing the highly migratory fish stocks, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), where applicable within the limits of the available surplus.

The Agreement provides for fishing opportunities to eight Seychelles purse seiners.

Lastly, it establishes a Joint Committee responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, this Committee may approve certain amendments thereto. The Union’s position on amendments that are proposed to the Agreement should be established by the Council. The Commission should approve the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, unless a number of Member States constituting a blocking minority, object to them.

Documents

Votes

A9-0043/2024 – Gabriel Mato – Draft Council decision #

2024/02/29 Outcome: +: 364, -: 139, 0: 25
PL ES RO DE HU SK BG CZ PT HR AT BE SE SI LT EE NL FI MT LU DK IE EL LV CY IT FR
Total
41
44
22
68
12
13
11
21
15
11
16
16
20
8
10
7
24
10
4
6
7
12
13
3
4
45
65
icon: PPE PPE
128

Belgium PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Finland PPE

2

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Latvia PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
104

Slovakia S&D

For (1)

1

Bulgaria S&D

For (1)

1

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Belgium S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Netherlands S&D

For (1)

5

Finland S&D

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Denmark S&D

2

Greece S&D

1

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
84

Poland Renew

1

Hungary Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
3

Slovenia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Estonia Renew

3

Finland Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2
icon: ECR ECR
45

Romania ECR

1

Germany ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Croatia ECR

1

Belgium ECR

2

Sweden ECR

For (1)

3

Lithuania ECR

1

Finland ECR

1

Greece ECR

1
icon: NI NI
35

Romania NI

For (1)

1

Germany NI

For (1)

3

Czechia NI

Against (1)

1

Croatia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Belgium NI

For (1)

1

Lithuania NI

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Latvia NI

Abstain (1)

1

France NI

Abstain (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
29

Czechia The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Portugal The Left

2

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

Against (1)

4

Greece The Left

1

Cyprus The Left

2
icon: ID ID
45

Czechia ID

Abstain (1)

1
3

Estonia ID

For (1)

1

Denmark ID

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
58

Poland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Greece Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Italy Verts/ALE

3

History

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

events/6
date
2024-03-25T00:00:00
type
Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
body
EP/CSL
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Awaiting final decision
New
Procedure completed
events/6
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2024-03-27T00:00:00
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Final act published in Official Journal
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Decision 2024/1012
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events/6
date
2024-03-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
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title
Decision 2024/1012
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events/6
date
2024-03-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
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title
Decision 2024/1012
url
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events/6
date
2024-03-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
procedure/final
title
Decision 2024/1012
url
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events/6
date
2024-03-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
procedure/final
title
Decision 2024/1012
url
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32024D1012
events/6
date
2024-03-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
procedure/final
title
Decision 2024/1012
url
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32024D1012
docs/3
date
2024-02-29T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2024-0111_EN.html title: T9-0111/2024
type
Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/5/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted by 364 votes to 139, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte.
  • Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.
  • The aim of this new Agreement is to enable further strengthening of a strategic partnership with Seychelles and to contribute to responsible fishing in EU waters and developing fisheries policy in Mayotte. The technical and financial conditions of the Fisheries Access Agreement are also aligned with those the SFPA with Seychelles and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020.
  • This Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to ensuring responsible fishing and the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources in waters around Mayotte based on the principle of non-discrimination between the different fleets fishing in those waters.
  • The conditions governing access by Seychelles fishing vessels to these EU waters are further detailed in the annex to the agreement (fishing opportunities, fishing authorisations, monitoring, and observers, etc).
  • Under the agreement, eight Seychelles-flagged vessels (purse seiners) will be able to fish in Mayotte's waters, beyond 24-nautical miles from its coasts. Fishing opportunities are based on the best available scientific advice (and where applicable within the limits of the surplus available) and in line with the recommendations of the regional fisheries management organisation responsible, namely the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).
docs/3
date
2024-02-29T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2024-0111_EN.html title: T9-0111/2024
type
Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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EP
events/5
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2024-02-29T00:00:00
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Decision by Parliament
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url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2024-0111_EN.html title: T9-0111/2024
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament's vote
New
Awaiting final decision
forecasts
  • date: 2024-02-29T00:00:00 title: Vote scheduled
forecasts/0/title
Old
Vote in plenary scheduled
New
Vote scheduled
docs/2
date
2024-02-20T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2024-0043_EN.html title: A9-0043/2024
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forecasts/0
date
2024-02-29T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
forecasts/0
date
2024-02-26T00:00:00
title
Indicative plenary sitting date
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament's vote
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
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committee_full
Fisheries
committee
PECH
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False
rapporteur
name: MATO Gabriel date: 2023-12-07T00:00:00 group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
shadows
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
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rapporteur
name: MATO Gabriel date: 2023-12-07T00:00:00 group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
shadows
committees/0/shadows/2
name
ILČIĆ Ladislav
group
European Conservatives and Reformists Group
abbr
ECR
docs/1
date
2023-12-18T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/PECH-PR-757013_EN.html title: PE757.013
type
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  • date: 2024-02-26T00:00:00 title: Indicative plenary sitting date
committees/0/shadows/0
name
AGUILERA Clara
group
Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
abbr
S&D
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
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PECH
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rapporteur
name: MATO Gabriel date: 2023-12-07T00:00:00 group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
shadows
name: BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun group: Renew Europe group abbr: Renew
committees/0
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Responsible Committee
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commission
  • body: EC dg: Maritime Affairs and Fisheries commissioner: SINKEVIČIUS Virginijus
docs/1
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
docs
title: 15048/2022
type
Legislative proposal
body
CSL
events/1/summary
  • PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte.
  • 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 between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to Mayotte waters was signed subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Agreement has been applied provisionally from the date of its signature.
  • The Agreement should be approved.
  • CONTENT: the purpose of the draft Council Decision is to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to Mayotte waters.
  • The objective of the Agreement is to enable further strengthening of a strategic partnership with Seychelles and to align the technical and financial conditions of the Fisheries Access Agreement with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Seychelles and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020, and to contribute to responsible fishing in EU waters and to developing fishery policy in Mayotte.
  • The Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing:
  • - economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to promoting sustainable fishing in Union waters to guarantee the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and develop the fisheries sector in Mayotte;
  • - the conditions governing access by Seychelles fishing vessels to Union waters;
  • - the arrangements for the management, control and surveillance of fishing activities in Union waters with a view to ensuring compliance with the above rules and conditions; the effectiveness of measures for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and the management of fishing activities and the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
  • The Agreement establishes a Joint Committee responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Joint Committee may approve certain amendments thereto.
  • The Union’s position on amendments that are proposed to the Agreement should be established by the Council. The Commission should approve the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, unless a number of Member States constituting a blocking minority, object to them.
events/2
date
2023-03-16T00:00:00
type
Committee referral announced in Parliament
body
EP
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  • PECH/9/10611
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New
Awaiting committee decision
docs/1
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
docs
title: 15048/2022
type
Legislative proposal
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events/1
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
type
Legislative proposal published
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EC
docs
title: 15048/2022
docs/1
date
2022-11-10T00:00:00
docs
type
Preparatory document
body
EC
events/0/summary
  • PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte.
  • 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: t he agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte was signed and entered into provisional application on 20 May 2014 for a duration of 6 years. The Agreement of 2015 was tacitly renewed on 20 May 2020.
  • The Commission conducted negotiations with the Government of Seychelles with a view to concluding an agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles. Following these negotiations, a new agreement was initialled on 10 June 2022. The new Agreement covers a period of 6 years from the date of provisional application, that being the date on which it is signed by both parties.
  • As part of the evaluation of a possible future Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) and Protocol, consultations were held with Member States, industry representatives and international civil society organisations, as well as Seychelles’ fisheries administration and civil society. These consultations led to the conclusion that it would be beneficial for the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles to conclude a new agreement.
  • CONTENT: the purpose of this proposal is to authorise the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte .
  • The objective of the Agreement is to enable further strengthening of a strategic partnership with Seychelles and to align the technical and financial conditions of the Fisheries Access Agreement with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement with Seychelles and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020, and to contribute to responsible fishing in EU waters and to developing fishery policy in Mayotte
  • The Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing:
  • - economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to promoting sustainable fishing in Union waters to guarantee the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and develop the fisheries sector in Mayotte;
  • - the conditions governing access by Seychelles fishing vessels to Union waters;
  • - the arrangements for the management, control and surveillance of fishing activities in Union waters with a view to ensuring compliance with the above rules and conditions; the effectiveness of measures for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and the management of fishing activities and the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
  • The Agreement provides fishing opportunities for Seychelles vessels in the Union waters of Mayotte. These fishing opportunities are based on the best available scientific advice and respect the recommendations of the regional fisheries organisation managing the highly migratory fish stocks, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), where applicable within the limits of the available surplus.
  • The Agreement provides for fishing opportunities to eight Seychelles purse seiners.
  • Lastly, it establishes a Joint Committee responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, this Committee may approve certain amendments thereto. The Union’s position on amendments that are proposed to the Agreement should be established by the Council. The Commission should approve the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, unless a number of Member States constituting a blocking minority, object to them.
docs/0
date
2022-11-10T00:00:00
docs
type
Document attached to the procedure
body
EC