PURPOSE: to conclude a new Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial compensation provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Morocco.
PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.
BACKGROUND: on the basis of a mandate from the Council, the Commission has conducted negotiations with Morocco on the renewal for one year of the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Morocco, which expired on 27 February 2011. A Protocol renewing the preceding Protocol was initialled on 25 February 2011. It is now appropriate to conclude the Protocol on behalf of the EU.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken. The Commission’s negotiating position was based in part on the results of an ex-post and ex-ante evaluation carried out by independent experts, as well as on a joint assessment of the scientific data on the state of stocks.
LEGAL BASIS: Article 43(2) in conjunction with Article 218(6a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.
CONTENT: the proposal aims to extend, for the period of one year, the protocol to the fisheries partnership agreement between the EC and Morocco of 22 May 2006. The general aim is to continue the cooperation between the European Union and Morocco, thereby creating a partnership framework within which to develop a sustainable fisheries policy and sound exploitation of fisheries resources in the Moroccan fishing zones, in the interests of both Parties.
The main objective of the Protocol is to define the fishing opportunities offered to EU vessels based on the surplus available, as well as the financial contribution due, separately, for access rights and for sectoral support.
The main provisions may be summarised as follows :
Financial contribution : the overall annual contribution of EUR 36 100 000 under the Protocol is based on:
Fishing opportunities : the Protocol – like its predecessor – provides for fishing opportunities in the following six categories:
Duration of the agreement: the Protocol will be valid from 28 February 2011 to 27 February 2012.
BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the total financial envelope for the Protocol is EUR 36.15 million for the extended year (including credits of an administrative nature financed by certain operational programmes.)
A total of EUR 142.000 is provided for administrative expenditure.
The total amounts to EUR 36.292 million.