Considerations on COM(2020)3 - Signing and provisional application of the Sustainable fisheries agreement and its Implementing Protocol (2020-2026) between the EU and Seychelles

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dossier COM(2020)3 - Signing and provisional application of the Sustainable fisheries agreement and its Implementing Protocol (2020-2026) between ...
document COM(2020)3 EN
date February 20, 2020
 
table>(1)On 15 July 2019, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Republic of Seychelles (‘Seychelles’) with a view to concluding a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles (‘the Partnership Agreement’) and a new implementing protocol thereto (‘the Protocol’).
(2)The negotiations were successfully concluded by the initialling of the Partnership Agreement and the Protocol on 22 October 2019.

(3)The Partnership Agreement repeals the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Seychelles (1), which entered into force on 2 November 2007 for a duration of six years and has been tacitly renewed and is therefore still in force.

(4)The most recent protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Seychelles (2) was signed on 18 December 2013 and was provisionally applied from 18 January 2014. It expired on 17 January 2020.

(5)The objective of the Partnership Agreement and the Protocol is to enable the Union and Seychelles to work more closely together to further promote the development of a sustainable fisheries policy and enable the responsible exploitation of fisheries resources in the Seychelles fishing zone and in the Indian Ocean, while contributing to decent working conditions in the fisheries sector.

(6)The Partnership Agreement and the Protocol should enter into force as soon as possible in view of the economic importance related to Union fishing activities in the Seychelles fishing zone and the need to reduce the interruption of such activities as much as possible.

(7)In order to allow for the continuation of fishing activities by Union vessels, the Partnership Agreement and the Protocol should be applied on a provisional basis as from the signature thereof.

(8)Therefore, the Partnership Agreement and the Protocol should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for their entry into force,