PURPOSE: to conclude a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cape Verde.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2011/679/EU on the conclusion of the Protocol agreed between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the two parties currently in force.

BACKGROUND: the Union negotiated a new protocol providing EU vessels with fishing opportunities in the waters in which Cape Verde has sovereignty or jurisdiction as regards fishing. At the end of the negotiations, the new protocol was initialled on 22 December 2010.

That new Protocol was signed in accordance with Council Decision 2011/405/EU and will be provisionally applied as from 1 September 2011.

The Protocol should be concluded on behalf of the Union.

CONTENT: with this Decision, the protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Cape Verde is approved by the Union.

The new protocol contains the following provisions:

Sustainable fishing: the objective is to continue the cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde to create a partnership framework within which to develop a sustainable fisheries policy and to ensure the sound exploitation of fisheries resources in the Cape Verde fishing zone, which is in the interests of both Parties.

The new protocol provides for, in particular:

Financial contribution : the overall annual contribution of the Protocol of EUR 1 305 000 over the whole period is based on:

· an annual reference tonnage fixed at 5 000 tonnes for 74 vessels, corresponding to EUR 325 000 per year, and

· support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy of the Republic of Cape Verde amounting to EUR 110 000 per year.

Fishing opportunities :

· 28 tuna seiners,

· 35 surface longliners and

· 11 pole-and-line vessels will be authorised to fish.

Duration of the agreement : the protocol shall be valid for a period of 3 years from 1 September 2011.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the decision enters into force on 14 November 2011. The date of the entry into force of the protocol shall be published in the Official Journal of the EU.

Decision 2011/679
OJ L 269 14.10.2011, p. 0017

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted by 539 votes to 82, with 21 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council Decision on the conclusion of a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Protocol to the Agreement.

In the interest of transparency, Parliament calls on the Commission to forward to Parliament the minutes and the conclusions of the meetings of the Joint Committee as well as the multiannual sectoral programme and the corresponding annual evaluations.

Parliament calls on the Commission to facilitate the participation of representatives of Parliament as observers in the meetings of the Joint Committee and to submit to Parliament and the Council, within the last year of application of the new Protocol and before the opening of negotiations for its renewal, a full evaluation report on its implementation, without imposing unnecessary restrictions on access to this document.

Lastly, the Commission and the Council are called upon, in the context of their respective competences, to keep Parliament immediately and fully informed, at all stages of the procedures related to the new Protocol and its renewal.

T7-0398/2011

A7-0299/2011

A7-0299/2011

The Committee on Fisheries adopted the recommendation drafted by Pat the Cope GALLAGHER (ADLE, IE) in which it calls on the European Parliament to consent to the conclusion of a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde.

In the interest of transparency, Members call on the Commission to forward to Parliament the minutes and the conclusions of the meetings of the Joint Committee as well as the multiannual sectoral programme and the corresponding annual evaluations.

They call on the Commission to facilitate the participation of representatives of Parliament as observers in the meetings of the Joint Committee and to submit to Parliament and the Council, within the last year of application of the new Protocol and before the opening of negotiations for its renewal, a full evaluation report on its implementation, without imposing unnecessary restrictions on access to this document.

Lastly, the Commission and the Council are called upon, in the context of their respective competences, to keep Parliament immediately and fully informed, at all stages of the procedures related to the new Protocol and its renewal.

PE467.085

PE467.092

PE464.993

PURPOSE: to conclude a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Cape Verde.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the Commission has negotiated with Cape Verde the renewal of the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Cape Verde, which expired on 31 August 2011 (see CNS/2006/0122 ).

This new protocol was initialled and will be applied provisionally from 1 September 2011. The new Protocol should now be concluded on behalf of the EU.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact analysis was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 43(2) in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

CONTENT: this proposal deals with the approval of the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Cape Verde on behalf of the Union. For further details of the Protocol, please refer to the former initial proposal dated 27/04/2011.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the proposal has no implications for the budget of the EU.

09793/2011

09791/2011

PURPOSE: to conclude a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Cape Verde.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the Commission has negotiated with Cape Verde the renewal of the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Cape Verde, which expired on 31 August 2011 (see CNS/2006/0122 ).

This new protocol was initialled and will be applied provisionally from 1 September 2011. The new Protocol should now be concluded on behalf of the EU.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact analysis was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 43(2) in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

CONTENT: this proposal deals with the approval of the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Cape Verde on behalf of the Union. For further details of the Protocol, please refer to the former initial proposal dated 27/04/2011.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the proposal has no implications for the budget of the EU.

09793/2011

PURPOSE: to conclude a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cape Verde.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: based on a mandate from the Council, the European Commission has negotiated with the Republic of Cape Verde to renew the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Cape Verde, dated 19 December 2006. Following these negotiations, a new protocol was initialled on 22 December 2010, covering a period of three years starting from 1 September 2011, since the protocol currently in force will expire on 31 August 2011 (see CNS/2006/0122 ).

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out. The Commission’s negotiating position was based in part on the results of an ex-post evaluation carried out by external experts.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 43(2) in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: this proposal for a Decision relates to the conclusion of a new Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Cape Verde. The objective is to continue the cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Cape Verde to create a partnership framework within which to develop a sustainable fisheries policy and to ensure the sound exploitation of fisheries resources in the Cape Verde fishing zone, which is in the interests of both Parties.

Financial contribution : t he overall annual contribution of the Protocol of EUR 1 305 000 over the whole period is based on: a) an annual reference tonnage fixed at 5 000 tonnes for 74 vessels, corresponding to EUR 325 000 per year, and b) support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy of the Republic of Cape Verde amounting to EUR 110 000 per year. This support meets the objectives of the national fisheries policy.

The reference tonnage has been kept unchanged at 5 000 tonnes/year. Nevertheless, taking account of needs in the fisheries sector in Cape Verde, the budget allocated to sectoral support has increased in comparison with the previous Protocol. The annual financial contribution has increased by EUR 50 000 (+ 13%) in comparison with the previous Protocol (2006-11).

Fishing authorisation : the new Agreement grants fishing authorisations to the tuna category alone.

Fishing opportunities :

28 tuna seiners, 35 surface longliners and 11 pole-and-line vessels will be authorised to fish.

Advances and fees payable by shipowners : EUR 35 per tonne of tuna caught in the Cape Verde fishing area by seiners and surface longliners and EUR 25 per tonne for pole-andline vessels. The annual advances are set at EUR 4 375 per tuna seiner, EUR 3 150 per longliner and EUR 450 per pole-and-line vessel.

Period of application : for a period of three years from 1 September 2011.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION : t he overall annual contribution of the Protocol of EUR 1 305 000 from 2011 to 2013, that is EUR 435 000/year (administrative expenditure excluded).

The financial envelope of EUR 264 600 is provided for administrative expenditure.

It should be noted that the advances and fees have no impact on the EU’s budget.

COM(2011)0228
EUR-Lex