EC/Madagascar Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution from 28 November 2012 to 27 November 2014. Protocol

2012/0238(NLE)

PURPOSE: to conclude the Protocol agreed between the European Union and the Republic of Madagascar setting out fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the two parties currently in force.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: on 15 November 2007 the Council adopted Council Regulation (EC) No 31/2008 on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Madagascar.

On the basis of a mandate from the Council, the European Commission has conducted negotiations with the Republic of Madagascar with a view to renewing the Protocol on fishing opportunities for EU fishing vessels in Madagascar’s waters. At the end of those negotiations, a new Protocol was initialled on 10 May 2012. It was signed and has been provisionally applied since the date of signature.

It is now appropriate to approve the protocol on behalf of the European Union.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken.

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

CONTENT: with this proposal for a decision, it is foreseen to conclude on behalf of the European Union, a fishing protocol with Madagascar setting out fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the two parties currently in force.

For further details on the content of this fishing protocol, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 19/09/2012.

To recap, the protocol provides for:

- fishing opportunities for 96 vessels, split up as follows:

  • 40 tuna seiners,
  • 34 surface longliners with a tonnage greater than 100 GT, and
  • 22 surface longliners with a tonnage less than or equal to 100 GT.

- a financial contribution of the EU to enable Community vessels to enable Community vessels to engage in fishing activities in the waters of Madagascar. This amounts to EUR 1 525 000 per year during the period of application of this Protocol, i.e. a total of EUR 3 050 000.

Duration of the protocol: the new fishing Protocol and its annex are concluded for a period of two years and shall be applied provisionally from 1 January 2013, unless revoked.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the total financial contribution under the protocol comes to EUR 3.152 million in 2013 and 2014 (operational expenditure), including payments of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes amounting to EUR 102 000 over the two years. To this sum should be added EUR 184 000 in administrative costs for managing the protocol and for human resources throughout the duration of the protocol.