EC/Greenland fisheries agreement, 4th protocol: mid term review

The committee adopted the own-initiative report by Rosa MIGUELEZ RAMOS (PES, E) on the Commission's communication on the mid-term review of the fourth fisheries protocol between the EU and Greenland. The central message of the report was that the agreement should be made more transparent, by separating the fisheries aspects from those linked to broader cooperation. While recognising the special relationship between the EU and Greenland, and the importance of EU assistance (which represents 4% of Greenland's GDP), the committee argued that all non-fisheries aspects should be financed from heading 4 of the Financial Perspective (external action) or through the European Development Fund, rather than from the already modest fisheries budget. The report also endorsed the Commission's suggestion that the catch quotas foreseen in the agreement should be updated in line with the latest scientific evidence. It drew attention to the low use of the fishing possibilities provided for in the protocol and the consequent waste of Community financial resources, and reiterated its request for the Commission to draw up a cost-benefit analysis of the agreement. Lastly, MEPs called on the Greenland authorities to acknowledge the desirability of incorporating the appropriate amendments to improve the protocol during the mid-term review, without needing to await its expiry. �