COM(2024)0481
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE: to approve, on behalf of the European Union, the Implementing Protocol (2025-2030) to the Protocol implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, on the other hand.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

CONTENT: the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SPFA) between the European Union on the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, on the other part has been signed on 22 April 2021 and entered into provisional application on that date. It shall apply for six years from the date of its provisional application and is tacitly renewable for additional periods of six years and is therefore still in force. The previous 4-year Implementing Protocol to the Agreement has been provisionally applied from the moment of its signature on and will expire after four years on 21 April 2025.

On 13 June 2024, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations for a new Protocol to the SFPA.

The Commission conducted negotiations with Greenland on concluding a new Implementing Protocol to the Agreement. The objective is to allow Union vessels to access the fishing zone Greenland and to fish for demersal species (Cod, Redfish, Halibut, Prawns, Grenadiers) and small pelagic species (Capelin). Following these negotiations, a new text of the Implementing Protocol was initialled on 20 September 2024.

The new Protocol covers a period of 6 years.

CONTENT: the purpose of this proposal is to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Implementing Protocol (2025-2030) to the Protocol implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, on the other hand.

The main aim of the new Protocol to the Agreement is to provide an updated framework that takes into account the priorities of the common fisheries policy (CFP) and the external dimension. This will help maintain and strengthen the strategic partnership between the European Union and Greenland.

Another objective is to enhance cooperation between the Union and Greenland by implementing the partnership framework for the Agreement in order to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in the waters of Greenland, in the interest of both Parties.

Fishing opportunities

The new Protocol provides for the following fishing opportunities:

- Cod in ICES Subareas II, V, XII, XIV: 2 050 tonnes per year;

- Pelagic redfish (REB) in ICES Subareas XII, XIV and in NAFO 1F: 0 tonnes per year;

- Demersal redfish (RED) in ICES Subareas II, V, XII, XIV: 2 100 tonnes per year;

- Greenland Halibut in NAFO Subarea 1 — South of 68° North: 1 900 tonnes per year;

- Greenland Halibut in ICES Subareas II, V, XII & XIV: 4 775 tonnes per year;

- Northern Prawn in NAFO Subarea 1: 2 431 per year;

- Northern Prawn in ICES Subareas II, V, XII, XIV: 4 150 per year;

- Capelin in ICES Subareas II, V, XII, XIV: 13 000 tonnes per year;

- Mackerel in ICES Subareas II, V, XII, XIV: 0 tonnes per year.

The fishing opportunities for Pelagic Redfish are set at 0 tonnes because of the negative scientific advice on the state of the stocks and in the case of Mackerel because of the absence of a regional sharing arrangement.

Financial contribution

The annual financial contribution from the European Union is EUR 17 296 857, based on:

a) an annual amount for access to fishery resources for the categories provided for in the Protocol, set at EUR 14 096 857 for the duration of the Protocol;

b) support for the development of Greenland’s sectoral fisheries policy amounting to EUR 3 200 000 per year for the duration of the Protocol. This support meets the objectives of Greenland’s national policy on the sustainable management of their maritime fishery resources for the entire duration of the Protocol.

The annual amount for commitment and payment appropriations is established during the annual budgetary procedure, including for the reserve line for protocols not yet having entered into force at the beginning of the year.

COM(2024)0479
EUR-Lex