EC/Gabon Fisheries Partnership Agreement

 The committee adopted the report by Stavros ARNAOUTAKIS (PES, GR) approving the proposed regulation on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EC and Gabon. It adopted a few amendments under the consultation procedure:

- before any extension of the Agreement or the conclusion of any new Agreement, the Commission should report to Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the Agreement. Only after the report has been received and Parliament consulted should the Council confer a negotiating mandate on the Commission with a view to adopting a new Protocol;

- the Commission should report annually to Parliament and the Council on the results of the multiannual sectoral programme described in Article 7 of the Protocol;

- the Commission should evaluate each year whether Member States whose vessels operate under the Protocol have complied with reporting requirements;

- the EC financial compensation should be used for the development of coastal populations dependent on fisheries as well as for the creation of small local freezing and processing industries.