PURPOSE: to conclude the Protocol agreed between the European Union and Guinea-Bissau 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.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.
BACKGROUND: the Union and Guinea-Bissau have negotiated a new Protocol granting Union vessels fishing opportunities in waters in which Guinea-Bissau exercises sovereignty or jurisdiction with regard to fishing.
The Protocol was signed in accordance with a Decision and has been applied provisionally from the date of its signature.
The Protocol should now be approved on behalf of the European Union.
CONTENT: under this proposal, the Council is invited to adopt a decision aiming to approve, on behalf of the European Union, the Protocol setting out fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Guinea-Bissau.
The Protocol seeks to provide fishing opportunities for the vessels of the European Union in the waters of Guinea-Bissau as well as the financial contribution provided by the Agreement.
For the main details of the Protocol as regards the financial contribution (agreed by the European Union in exchange of fishing licences), the fishing possibilities and the financial envelope of the Protocol, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 5 June 2012.