Proposal for a Council Regulation concerning the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Implementation Protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Liberia

On the basis of the relevant negotiating directives, the Commission conducted negotiations with the Government of Liberia with a view to concluding a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and an Implementation Protocol thereto between the European Union and the Republic of Liberia. Following these negotiations, a new Agreement and Protocol were initialled on 5 June 2015. They cover a period of five years from the date of their provisional application, i.e. from the date of their signature, as laid down in Article 15 of the Agreement and Article 12 of the Protocol.

The new Agreement will provide for a framework taking into account the priorities of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy and its external dimension, with a view to establishing a strategic partnership between the European Union and the Republic of Liberia.

The main objective of the new Protocol is to provide fishing opportunities to Union vessels in the Liberian fishing zone, on the basis of the best available scientific advice and respecting the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), where applicable within the limits of the available surplus. The Commission based its position in part on the results of a forward-looking assessment, carried out by external experts, of whether a new Agreement and Protocol should be concluded. The aim is also to enhance cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Liberia to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and sound exploitation of fisheries resources in Liberia’s fishing zone, in the interests of both parties.

The Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories:
– 28 tuna seiners;
– 6 surface long-liners.

The method for allocating fishing opportunities among the Member States should be defined. The Commission accordingly proposes that the Council adopt this Regulation.

EUR-Lex: COM(2015)465: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2015:465:FIN

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