EC/Guinea-Bissau fisheries agreement: financial support

PURPOSE : to set the terms for financial support to Guinea-Bissau in the fisheries sector. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision 2001/179/EC setting the terms for financial support to Guinea-Bissau in the fisheries sector. CONTENT : by Regulation 2615/97/EC the Council approved a Protocol which sets out fishing possibilities and financial compensation for the period from 16 June 1997 to 15 June 2001. As a result of the armed conflict which affected Guinea-Bissau from June 1998 until March 1999, the Government of Guinea-Bissau was not able to ensure the normal course of fishing activities. This exceptional situation endangered Community vessels and called for a temporary break in fishing as from June 1998 until April 1999. This Decision sets the terms for financial support to Guinea-Bissau up to a maximum of EUR 6 500 000 in order to facilitate the restoration of fishing activities by Community vessels. The financial support will cover the following activities in particular: - support for the management of the Ministry of Fishing and the rehabilitation of equipment and infrastructure in the fisheries department, - strengthening of the system for maritime monitoring and supervision; - revitalisation and reinforcement of the fisheries research programmes. Moreover, on the basis of the presentation of a programmes of activities by the Government of Guinea-Bissau, the Commission shall make available before 31 May 2001 to the Government of Guinea-Bissau, through the bank accounts notified by the Ministry of Fishing, an amount corresponding to 50% of the cost of the planned activities. The Commission will pay the balance of the funds, after acceptance of a detailed report which the Government of Guinea-Bissau shall send to the European Commission delegation, before 31 May 2003. This report will describe in detail the implementation of these activities and the results obtained. The Commission reserves the right to ask the Ministry of Fishing for any supplementary information, and to re-examine payments involved in the light of the effective implementation of these activities. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 26.02.2001.�