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EC/Denmark/Greenland Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020. Protocol

2015/0152(NLE)

PURPOSE: to conclude the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community on the one hand, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Rule Government of Greenland, on the other hand.

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: on 28 June 2007, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 753/2007 concerning the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community on the one hand, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Rule Government of Greenland, on the other hand.

The current Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for by the Partnership Agreement expires on 31 December 2015.

The Union has negotiated with the Government of Denmark and the Government of Greenland a new protocol to the Partnership Agreement setting out the fishing possibilities and financial contribution. The Protocol was signed in accordance with a Council Decision and has been applied on provisional basis.

It is now necessary to approve the Protocol on behalf of the Union.

CONTENT, with this proposed Decision, the Council is called upon to conclude the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community on the one hand, Denmark and Greenland, on the other hand, on behalf of the Union (for further details as regards the fishing opportunities provided for in this Fisheries Partnership Agreement, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 16.7.2015).

Simplified procedure to define the EU’s position within the EU-Greenland Joint Committee: the Agreement sets up a Joint Committee to monitor the application of the Partnership Agreement and ensure its implementation. Furthermore, in accordance with the Protocol, the Joint Committee may approve certain modifications to the Protocol. In order to facilitate the approval of such modifications, it is appropriate to empower the Commission, subject to specific conditions, to approve them under a simplified procedure.

Annex: the draft Decision lays down the powers conferred on the Commission as well as the procedure for the establishment of the EU’s position within the Joint Committee. The Commission shall be authorised to negotiate with Greenland and, modifications to the Protocol in respect of the following issues:

  • fixing of fishing opportunities of the Protocol, including fixing the reference price and the authorisation fees;
  • decision on the modalities of the sectoral support;
  • adoption of measures to ensure sustainable exploitation of the fishery resources in accordance with the Protocol.

In the Joint Committee, the Union shall act in accordance with the objectives pursued by the Union within the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy. It shall also promote positions that are consistent with the relevant rules adopted by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and in the context of joint management by coastal States.

When a decision on modifications to the Protocol is foreseen to be adopted during a Joint Committee Meeting, the necessary steps shall be taken so as to ensure that the position to be expressed on behalf of the Union takes account of the latest statistical, biological and other relevant information transmitted to the Commission.

Technical provisions are foreseen in order to set the framework and the practical conditions as regards the approval of the amendments to the Protocol.

To this effect, and based on that information, a document setting out the particulars of the proposed Union position shall be transmitted by the Commission services, in sufficient time before the relevant Joint Committee Meeting, to the Council or to its preparatory bodies for consideration and approval.