EU/Greenland/Denmark Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement. Implementing Protocol (2025-2030)

PURPOSE: to approve, on behalf of the European Union, the Implementing Protocol (2025-2030) to the Protocol implementing the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, 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: in accordance with a Council Decision, the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, of the other part (2025–2030) was signed, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

It is now necessary to approve the Protocol.

PURPOSE: the draft Council Decision concerns the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the  Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of Denmark, of the other part (2025–2030).

Objectives

The objectives of the Protocol are to enable Union vessels to fish in the fishing zone of Greenland and to enable the Union and Greenland to work closely together to further promote the development of a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in the fishing zone of Greenland. That cooperation will also contribute to decent working conditions in the fisheries sector.

Joint committee

A Joint committee is established which is responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement and the Protocol. That committee has the power to approve certain amendments to the Protocol. These amendments may concern the following issues:

- adjustment of the fishing opportunities and, as a consequence, of the financial contribution;

- sectoral support arrangements;

- the technical conditions and arrangements under which Union vessels carry out their fishing activities.

In order to facilitate the approval of such amendments, the Commission should be empowered, subject to substantive and procedural conditions, to approve them on behalf of the Union under a simplified procedure. The Union’s position on proposed amendments to the Protocol should be established by the Council. The proposed amendments should be approved unless a blocking minority of Member States objects to them.