PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the European Union and the Seychelles on access for fishing vessels flying the flag of the Seychelles to waters and marine biological resources of Mayotte, under the jurisdiction of the European Union.
NON LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2015/238 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of the Seychelles on access for fishing vessels flying the flag of the Seychelles to waters and marine biological resources of Mayotte, under the jurisdiction of the European Union
CONTENT: the Council adopted a decision concluding, on behalf of the EU, an agreement with the Republic of the Seychelles relating to the access, for fishing vessels flying the flag of Seychelles, to waters and marine biological resources of the EU, namely in the exclusive economic zone off the coast of Mayotte. Parliament gave its approval to the conclusion of the Agreement on 13 January 2015.
The Agreement follows the change in Mayotte’s status, since the latter became an outermost region of the Union on 1 January 2014. On that date, the exclusive economic zone off the coast of Mayotte became part of the EU.
The Agreement was signed in accordance with Council Decision 2014/331/EU and is provisionally applied from 20 May 2014. It permitted access for fishing vessels flying the flag of the Seychelles to waters and marine biological resources of Mayotte from that date.
France shall be authorised to collect, for the account of its outermost region Mayotte, the payments related to authorisations and catches and other fees due by operators of fishing vessels flying the flag of the Seychelles in consideration of the granting of access to waters and marine biological resources within Union waters off the coast of Mayotte Those revenues shall be used by France for the setting up of the appropriate administrative framework, control activities, physical infrastructure and for the provision of the appropriate capacity building in order for the administration in Mayotte to meet the requirements of the CFP.
The Agreement set up a Joint committee which will oversee its application and in accordance with its terms, the Joint Committee may make certain amendments to the Agreement.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 16.2.2015.