What changed

Citation 1: Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(2) thereof,

P10_TC1-COD(2025)0349

Recital 3 a (new): (3a) Certain French outermost regions, such as French Guiana, that are situated within the Convention Area are exposed to illegal fishing activities1a which also result in large numbers of incidental capture of sea turtles. Such circumstances require enhanced operational cooperation with neighbouring countries in order to safeguard these protected species and ensure the integrity of their habitats. / 1a Leforestier Sophie (2024). Estimation de la pêche illégale étrangère en Guyane française. CRPMEM Guyane. https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00909/102042/.

Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 7 October 2026 with a view to the adoption of Decision (EU) 2026/… of the European Parliament and of the Council empowering France to accede to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles

Recital 4: (4) France should report to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the accession to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles and cooperate with the Commission, and relevant stakeholders, in particular local stakeholders on positions related to decisions, recommendations and measures taken under this Convention. France should also regularly inform the Commission on the adoption of those decisions, recommendations or measures. The Commission should regularly inform the European Parliament of the decisions, measures and recommendations taken under the Convention. France should also make available to the Commission and the European Parliament its annual report referred to in Article XI of the Convention. The report should contain dedicated sections on the most challenging territories.

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Article 2 – paragraph 1: France shall inform the European Parliament and the Council on the accession to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles and consult the Commission, and relevant stakeholders, in particular local stakeholders on positions related to decisions, measures and recommendations taken under the Convention, and regularly inform the Commission on adoption of those decisions, measures and recommendations. The Commission shall regularly inform the European Parliament of the decisions, measures and recommendations taken under the Convention.

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(2) thereof,

Article 2 – paragraph 1 a (new): France shall make available to the Commission and the European Parliament its annual report referred to in Article XI of the Convention.

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1) On 4 February 2025, France requested an empowerment from the Union to accede to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, done at Caracas on 1 December 1996 (the ‘Convention’), in order to strengthen its cooperation with the countries bordering its territories on the American continents in the area of the protection of marine turtle species occurring in seas adjacent to the American continents and the Caribbean.

(2) Certain matters covered by the Convention fall within the Union's exclusive competence. In order to accede to the Convention, therefore, France is required to be empowered by the Union pursuant to Article 2(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) for matters falling under the Union's exclusive competence. This Decision does not constitute an exercise of external competence by the Union as regards matters covered by the Convention that do not relate to an exclusive competence.

(3) The Convention is in line with the Union’s policies in the fields of the protection of marine biological resources and the environment, in particular as regards measures for the protection and conservation of sea turtles. Since the Convention is open for accession to States on the American continents and in the Caribbean ▌, it is appropriate for the Union to empower France to accede to it.

(4) French overseas countries and territories listed in Annex II to the TFEU, and their waters, are outside the territorial scope of the Treaties as regards, inter alia, the matters covered by the Convention for which the Union has exclusive competence. Therefore, this Decision is without prejudice to any rights or obligations of France that arise from the accession to the Convention in respect of those countries and territories, and their waters.

(5) Certain French outermost regions that are situated within the area of application of the Convention, such as French Guiana, are exposed to illegal fishing activities which result in the incidental capture of large numbers of sea turtles. Cooperation with neighbouring countries is required in order to safeguard these protected species and to ensure the integrity of their habitats. Such cooperation would be facilitated by joining the Convention.

(6) France should inform the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of its accession to the Convention. France should consult the Commission and relevant stakeholders, in particular local stakeholders, on positions related to decisions, measures and recommendations taken under the Convention and regularly inform the Commission of the adoption of such decisions, measures and recommendations. The European Parliament can invite the Commission to keep it informed of the decisions, measures and recommendations taken under the Convention. France should also make its annual report referred to in Article XI of the Convention available to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

France is hereby empowered to accede to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, done at Caracas on 1 December 1996 (the ‘Convention’).

Article 2

France shall inform the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of its accession to the Convention.

France shall consult the Commission and relevant stakeholders, in particular local stakeholders, on positions related to decisions, measures and recommendations taken under the Convention and regularly inform the Commission of the adoption of such decisions, measures and recommendations.

France shall make its annual report referred to in Article XI of the Convention available to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to France.

Done at…,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President