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From · opinion parliamentary committee draft · 2024-10-03 BUDG-PA-765009 on the Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029)
To · opinion parliamentary committee draft · 2024-11-27 DEVE-PA-766706 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Implementing Protocol (2024-2029) to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau
+9 added · −38 removed · 1 modified paragraphs

PA_LegEvaluation

PA_Leg_Consent

BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

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(COM(2024)0285 – C10-0108/2024 – 2024/0159(NLE))

With a view to adopt a new Protocol to the FPA, the European Commission conducted negotiations with the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Following these negotiations, a new Protocol was initialled on 16 May 2024. This new Protocol covers a period of five years, allowing Union vessels to access Guinea-Bissau’s fishing zone and to fish for demersal species (crustaceans, cephalopods and fish), small pelagic species, and tuna and associated species there.

The Committee on Budgets has carried out a budgetary assessment of the Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029) under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and has reached the following conclusions:

The aim of the Protocol is to provide an updated framework that takes into account the priorities of the common fisheries policy and the external dimension, in accordance with scientific advice and the recommendations of the Joint Scientific Committee and the relevant regional fisheries management organisations. It intends to enhance cooperation between the EU and Guinea-Bissau by implementing a partnership framework within which to develop a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in the waters of the Guinea-Bissau, in the interest of both Parties.

– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union,

The EU’s financial contribution allocated to the Protocol is EUR 17 000 000 per year. This total is broken down into an annual amount of EUR 12 500 000 for access to fishery resources and another EUR 4 500 000 for the development of Guinea-Bissau’s sectoral fisheries policy, which represents an increase for sectoral support in comparison with the previous protocol.

– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA) of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, and in particular point 20 thereof,

Guinea-Bissau suffers from chronic malnutrition that is affecting over a quarter of its 1.9 million population, and fisheries offer an important way for the country to fight this. Stretching over 200 nautical miles from its coastline, it encompasses some of West Africa’s most abundant fishing grounds. Small-scale fishing provides over 35% of citizens’ animal protein intake and employs more than 255,000 people. However, threats to the blue economy such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing damage the economic and nutritional potential of the fisheries. Furthermore, the weak systems for monitoring, prevalence of corruption, and lack of finances, causes lack of fishing supervision and an inability to effectively manage fish populations.

A. whereas the financial contribution for the entire duration of the Protocol is EUR 85 000 000 (i.e. EUR 17 000 000 per year), based on:

Your rapporteur takes the view that the Protocol has the potential to promote the responsible and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and the development of the national fisheries policy in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and is in the interest of both Parties. The rapporteur also emphasises the need of stepping up the control and surveillance of fishing activities in order to more effectively tackle illegal fishing. For this reason, your rapporteur is proposing that the protocol be approved.

(a) an annual amount of EUR 12 500 000 for access to fishery resources in the fishing zone of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau; and

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(b) a specific amount of EUR 4 500 000 per year in support of the sectoral policy of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau;

The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Fisheries, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Implementing Protocol (2024-2029) to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

B. whereas the implementation of the Protocol requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below:

EUR million (to three decimal places)

DG MARE

Year N

Year N+1

Year N+3

Year N+4

TOTAL

□ Operational appropriations

Budget line 08.05.01

Commitments

(1a)

17.000

17.000

17.000

17.000

85.000

Payments

(2 a)

17.000

17.000

17.000

17.000

85.000

1. Notes that the support allocated to the Protocol should meet the objectives of cooperation in the fields of sustainable exploitation of fishery resources, aquaculture, sustainable development of the oceans, protection of the marine environment, and the blue economy; considers that this should be thoroughly scrutinised to ensure that this is done effectively during the implementation of the Protocol;

2. Notes that the Protocol with Guinea-Bissau was signed on 18 September 2024;

3. Notes that the transfer of appropriations for an amount of EUR 17 000 000 in the commitment appropriations (CA) and EUR 12 500 000 in the payment appropriations (PA), requested by the European Commission in DEC 07/2024 and approved by the budgetary authority, has made available the respective appropriations on operational line 08 05 01 for 2024;

4. Stresses that the financial programming of line 08 05 01 needs to be enough to cater for the financial obligations in the years 2025-2027 subject to the decision of the budgetary authority in the annual budgetary procedures; in this regard, notes that the line 08 05 01 in the 2025 Draft Budget and in the Council Position on the 2025 Draft Budget include an amount of EUR 150 560 000 in CA and EUR 135 275 000 in PA; calls for scrutiny regarding the financial programming of line 08 05 01 in the annual budgets of 2026 and 2027;

5. Concludes that the Committee on Budgets is in a position to advise the Committee on Fisheries, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the proposal for a Council Decision of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029).