Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

PURPOSE: to approve, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 43, in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.

CONTENT: the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Conference approved, at its Thirty Sixth Session held in Rome on 18-23 November 2009, the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing in accordance with the FAO Constitution, for submission to FAO Members.

The objective of this Agreement is to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing through the implementation of effective port State measures, and thereby to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources and marine ecosystems.

The Agreement was signed in Rome on 22 November 2009 on behalf of the European Community in accordance with Council Decision of 20 November 2009, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

The fight against IUU fishing constitutes an essential component of the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU should be able to foster international cooperation on this matter by participating actively and constructively in the adoption on an international instrument on Port State measures.

The European Union is a major player in international fisheries and one of the main global markets for fishery products and it is in its interest to play an effective role in the implementation of the Agreement and its approval by all parties.

The proposal seeks the consent of the Agreement on behalf of the European Union.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: this proposal has no implications for the EU budget.