EC/Mozambique Fisheries Partnership Agreement

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Emanuel Jardim FERNANDES (PES, PT) and made a few amendments to the proposal on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Mozambique. The report was adopted by 407 votes in favour to 73 against with 76 abstentions.

The amendments were mainly aimed at improving the information forwarded to the European Parliament. The principal ones were as follows:

- a new recital states that the EC's financial contribution should be used for the development of coastal populations living on fisheries and the creation of small industrial fish freezing and processing undertakings at local level;

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

- the Commission must forward to the European Parliament the conclusions of the meetings of the joint committee;

- during the final year of the Protocol's validity and before another agreement as to its renewal is concluded, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council a report on the application of the Agreement and the conditions under which it was implemented;

- on the basis of the report and after consulting the European Parliament, the Council shall, where appropriate, grant the Commission a negotiating mandate with a view to the adoption of a new protocol.