PURPOSE : to extend by one year (until 31 May 2006 ) the Protocol annexed to the Fisheries Agreement between the EEC and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Regulation 1124/2006/EC on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters extending the Protocol setting out, for the period 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2006, the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe on fishing off the coast of São Tomé e Príncipe.

CONTENT : the Protocol annexed to the Fisheries Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe expired on 31 May 2005. Under the terms of that Agreement, the Contracting Parties are to enter into negotiations, before the period of validity of the Protocol to the Agreement expires, to determine by mutual agreement the contents of the Protocol for the period that follows and, where applicable, the amendments or additions to be made to the Annex.

Pending negotiations on changes to be made to the existing Protocol approved by Council Regulation 2348/2002/EC, the EEC and São Tomé and Príncipe have decided to extend its validity for one year by means of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters.

The main features of the extended Protocol are unchanged.

The fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol are allocated to Member States as follows:

- tuna seiners: France:18 ; Spain: 18

- pole-and-line tuna vessels: Portugal: 2

- surface longliners: Spain: 20 ; Portugal: 5

If licence applications from these Member States do not cover all the fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol, the Commission may take into consideration licence applications from any other Member State.

The Member States whose vessels fish under the Agreement must notify the Commission of the quantities of each stock caught within the fishing zone of São Tomé and Príncipe in accordance with Commission Regulation 500/2001/EC.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 25/07/2006.

Regulation 2006/1124
OJ L 200 22.07.2006, p. 0001-0002

SP(2006)2902

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Duarte FREITAS (EPP-ED, PT) and made a few amendments to the proposal. (Please see the summary of 19/04/2006.)

T6-0194/2006

A6-0132/2006

A6-0132/2006

The committee adopted the report by Duarte FREITAS (EPP-ED, PT) broadly approving the proposed extension of the fishing protocol with São Tomé and Príncipe. The committee nevertheless adopted a few amendments under the consultation procedure repeating Parliament's previously-expressed comments regarding the provision of information before any renewal of fisheries agreements:

- Parliament's opinion on the extension or conclusion of fisheries partnership agreements should be sought as swiftly as possible, so that those opinions are not requested after the date of payment of any financial compensation;

- before any agreement is concluded on renewing the protocol, the Commission should submit to Parliament and Council a report on the application of the agreement and the conditions under which it was implemented, as well as the positions of the EU Member States which have an interest in its renewal;

- the Commission should also report to Parliament and Council on the results of the targeted actions described in the protocol.

Lastly, MEPs called on the Commission to submit a copy of the report on the evaluation study on 'deep-water crab' stocks scheduled for 2006, arguing that it was important to assess this stock and ascertain whether a fishing category can be reopened in São Tomé and Príncipe.

PE371.722

PE369.871

PE369.850

PURPOSE : to extend by one year (until 31 May 2006) the Protocol annexed to the Fisheries Agreement between the EEC and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Regulation

CONTENT : the Protocol annexed to the Fisheries Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe expired on 31 May 2005.

The two parties agreed at the beginning of 2005 to extend the Protocol, in particular in order to work out certain difficulties relating to the implementation of the 2002-05 Protocol and to give the Government of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe more time to prepare as well as possible for negotiations on a future partnership agreement, and to implement the action programme to support the necessary development of the fisheries sector.

The new government, which took office in March 2004, waited until the last minute to analyse the option of extending the protocol, despite numerous reminders in March, April and May 2005. The parties have finally decided to extend the Protocol for a period of one year, from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2006. The extension, in the form of an exchange of letters, was initialed by the two parties on 3 June 2005, and sets out the technical and financial conditions governing the fishing activities of EC vessels in the waters of São Tomé and Príncipe for the period from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2006.

The Commission proposes, on this basis, that the Council adopt the Regulation on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters extending the Protocol. A proposal for a Council Decision on provisional application of the Agreement (pending its actual entry into force) is the subject of a separate procedure.

The main features of the extended Protocol are unchanged.

The fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol are allocated to Member States as follows:

- tuna seiners: France:18 ; Spain: 18

- pole-and-line tuna vessels: Portugal: 2

- surface longliners: Spain: 20 ; Portugal: 5

If licence applications from these Member States do not cover all the fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol, the Commission may take into consideration licence applications from any other Member State.

The Member States whose vessels fish under the Agreement must notify the Commission of the quantities of each stock caught within the fishing zone of São Tomé and Príncipe in accordance with Commission Regulation 500/2001/EC.

For further information concerning the financial implications of this measure, please refer to the financial statement.

COM(2005)0630
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE : to extend by one year (until 31 May 2006) the Protocol annexed to the Fisheries Agreement between the EEC and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Regulation

CONTENT : the Protocol annexed to the Fisheries Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe expired on 31 May 2005.

The two parties agreed at the beginning of 2005 to extend the Protocol, in particular in order to work out certain difficulties relating to the implementation of the 2002-05 Protocol and to give the Government of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe more time to prepare as well as possible for negotiations on a future partnership agreement, and to implement the action programme to support the necessary development of the fisheries sector.

The new government, which took office in March 2004, waited until the last minute to analyse the option of extending the protocol, despite numerous reminders in March, April and May 2005. The parties have finally decided to extend the Protocol for a period of one year, from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2006. The extension, in the form of an exchange of letters, was initialed by the two parties on 3 June 2005, and sets out the technical and financial conditions governing the fishing activities of EC vessels in the waters of São Tomé and Príncipe for the period from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2006.

The Commission proposes, on this basis, that the Council adopt the Regulation on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters extending the Protocol. A proposal for a Council Decision on provisional application of the Agreement (pending its actual entry into force) is the subject of a separate procedure.

The main features of the extended Protocol are unchanged.

The fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol are allocated to Member States as follows:

- tuna seiners: France:18 ; Spain: 18

- pole-and-line tuna vessels: Portugal: 2

- surface longliners: Spain: 20 ; Portugal: 5

If licence applications from these Member States do not cover all the fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol, the Commission may take into consideration licence applications from any other Member State.

The Member States whose vessels fish under the Agreement must notify the Commission of the quantities of each stock caught within the fishing zone of São Tomé and Príncipe in accordance with Commission Regulation 500/2001/EC.

For further information concerning the financial implications of this measure, please refer to the financial statement.

COM(2005)0630
EUR-Lex