Sittings · Document
On the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
Committee on Fisheries · Rapporteur: Ton Diepeveen
PR_NLE-AP_Agreement
Symbols for procedures
* Consultation procedure
*** Consent procedure
***I Ordinary legislative procedure (first reading)
***II Ordinary legislative procedure (second reading)
***III Ordinary legislative procedure (third reading)
(The type of procedure depends on the legal basis proposed by the draft act.)
DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
(07374/2025 – C100114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE))
(Consent)
– having regard to the draft Council decision (07374/2025),
– having regard to the draft Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the European Community (2025–2029) (07042/2025),
– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 43(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C100114/2025),
– having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4) and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the budgetary assessment by the Committee on Budgets,
– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Development,
– having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries (A10-0159/2025),
1. Gives its consent to the conclusion of the protocol;
2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Côte d’Ivoire.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
General circumstances in Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire is an economically significant country in West Africa with a population of approximately 29 million. Despite periods of political instability, the country has experienced robust economic growth driven largely by agricultural exports. The fisheries sector, particularly in the port city of Abidjan, is vital for employment and nutritional security, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing substantially to the GDP of the country.
However, Côte d’Ivoire faces considerable challenges, including unsustainable fishing practices and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, notably by foreign vessels operating under flags of convenience. The previous EU–Côte d’Ivoire SFPA agreement highlighted critical issues: under-utilization of fishing licenses, inadequate oversight, in some cases poor working conditions for local crews and administrative delays in sectoral support implementation. Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding non-compliance with minimum wage standards for local crew members.
The new SFPA Protocol 2025-2029
The Protocol allocates an annual EU contribution of €740,000, comprising €305,000 for access rights and €435,000 for sectoral support. Additionally, operators will pay €80 per tonne of catch in the first two years, increasing to €85 per tonne in the final two years. The Protocol authorizes 25 tuna purse seiners and 7 surface longliners to fish within Côte d’Ivoire’s Exclusive Economic Zone, with an annual reference catch limit of 6,100 tonnes of tuna.
This Protocol aims at sustainability, ensuring responsible exploitation of tuna stocks in accordance with ICCAT regulations and regional fisheries management obligations.
Benefits to EU Fishers and Food Security
From the perspective of the EU, this agreement presents a strategically significant opportunity. It secures continued access to fishing areas for the EU fleet, predominantly benefiting Spanish, Portuguese and French operators. These fishing opportunities directly support the EU seafood supply chain, ensuring stability and continuity, which reinforces European food security.
From an economical point of view, this renewed Protocol signifies a balanced and mutually advantageous relationship fostering economic resilience both in Côte d’Ivoire and within the EU fishing sector. According to the European Commission, each euro from the EU budget invested in this agreement generates an added value of 7.56 euro.
Cooperation and EU Interests
Out of the €740,000 provided annually under the agreement, €435,000 is allocated as sectoral support, specifically earmarked for the development of Côte d’Ivoire’s fisheries infrastructure, governance capacities and scientific expertise. The sectoral support also targets improvements in scientific knowledge, management measures for small-scale fishing and aquaculture and community support through training.
Decisions on the precise allocation of these funds will be approved by a Joint Committee, ensuring transparency and alignment with strategic objectives. A portion of the funds is specifically dedicated to addressing IUU fishing, which contributes to establishing a level playing field for the EU fishers. Moreover, the Protocol promises job creation and improved economic opportunities for local communities through better fisheries management and enhanced infrastructure.
ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT
The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
16.7.2025
BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS
for the Committee on Fisheries
on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
(COM(2025)0076 – C100114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE))
Rapporteur for budgetary assessment: Giuseppe Lupo
The Committee on Budgets has carried out a budgetary assessment of the proposal under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and has reached the following conclusions:
The Committee on Budgets,
A. whereas the previous six-year Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement expired on 31 July 2024;
B. whereas the financial contribution to the new Protocol for the duration of its four-year period is EUR 2 960 000, based on:
(a) an annual amount of EUR 305 000 for access to the fisheries resources in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing zone, equivalent to a reference tonnage of 6 100 tonnes per year for highly migratory species, set at EUR 1 220 000 for the duration of the Protocol;
(b) support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy of Côte d’Ivoire, amounting to EUR 435 000 per year, set at EUR 1 740 000 for the duration of the Protocol;
C. whereas the implementation of the Protocol requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below:
DG MARE
Year 2025
Year 2026
Year 2027
Year 2028
TOTAL
□ Operational appropriations
Budget line 08 05 01
Commitments
0.740
0.740
0.740
0.740
2.960
Payments
0.740
0.740
0.740
0.740
2.960
EUR million (to three decimal places);
D. whereas on 20 May 2025, Parliament is set to approve DEC 05/2025 submitted by the Commission on 8 April 2025, which will make available the necessary appropriations on operational line 08 05 01 to honour the 2025 financial obligations resulting from the new Protocol;
E. whereas the Protocol with Côte d’Ivoire is set to be signed and enter into provisional application once the appropriations are made available;
1. Notes that the support allocated to the Protocol should meet the objectives of enabling Union vessels to fish in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing zone, enabling the Union and Côte d’Ivoire to work closely together to further promote the development of a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing zone, and ensuring that the Union and Côte d’Ivoire cooperate to contribute to decent working conditions in the fisheries sector; considers that there should be thorough scrutiny to ensure that the support meets those objectives effectively during the implementation of the Protocol;
2. Recommends that, for future agreements, an impact assessment of the added value and socio-economic benefits derived from the previous agreement be taken into account; considers that this assessment should guide the negotiation and renewal of subsequent agreements to ensure that they align with the objectives of sustainable development and efficient use of the Union’s financial resources;
3. Notes that the transfer of appropriations for an amount of EUR 740 000 in commitment and payment appropriations, as submitted by the Commission in DEC 05/2025, is set to be approved by the budgetary authority in the time limit provided for in the Financial Regulation; regrets that the decision on this budgetary matter is disconnected from, and has to be taken prior to, the decision on the consent to be given by Parliament to the new Protocol; underlines that decisions on the agreement itself and related budgetary matters are inextricably linked, and fears, therefore, that the disconnect risks de facto pre-empting the decision on consent and creating a fait accompli; strongly requests the Commission, therefore, to ensure that such a situation does not occur again in the future;
4. Calls on the Commission to explain the need for the provisional application of the Protocol in question;
5. Notes that the 2025 budget as voted on in plenary on 27 November 2024 includes amounts of EUR 150 560 000 in commitment appropriations and EUR 135 300 000 in payment appropriations on line 08 05 01, as well as amounts of EUR 59 970 000 in commitment appropriations and EUR 41 620 000 in payment appropriations for fishing activities on reserve line 30 02 02; regrets that the amounts are cumulative and not broken down by fisheries agreements, thus making it difficult for Parliament to scrutinise budget implementation in this field;
6. Stresses that the financial programming of line 08 05 01 needs to be sufficient to cater for the financial obligations in the years 2026-2027 subject to the decision of the budgetary authority in the annual budgetary procedures; calls for scrutiny regarding the financial programming of line 08 05 01 in the annual budgets of 2026 and 2027;
7. 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 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community.
ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT
The rapporteur for budgetary assessment declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his budgetary assessment input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT
Title
Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
References
07374/2025 – C10-0114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE)
Committee(s) responsible
Date announced in plenary
PECH
7.7.2025
Budgetary assessment by
Date announced in plenary
BUDG
7.7.2025
Rapporteur for budgetary assessment
Date appointed
Giuseppe Lupo
22.4.2025
Discussed in committee
24.6.2025
Date adopted
16.7.2025
Result of final vote
+:
–:
0:
26
6
0
Members present for the final vote
Georgios Aftias, Rasmus Andresen, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Tomasz Buczek, Olivier Chastel, Tamás Deutsch, Angéline Furet, Thomas Geisel, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Andrzej Halicki, Monika Hohlmeier, Alexander Jungbluth, Fabienne Keller, Janusz Lewandowski, Giuseppe Lupo, Siegfried Mureşan, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Victor Negrescu, Matjaž Nemec, Danuše Nerudová, João Oliveira, Ruggero Razza, Karlo Ressler, Julien Sanchez, Hélder Sousa Silva, Joachim Streit, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs, Lucia Yar
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote
Jaroslav Bžoch, Tiemo Wölken
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT
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2.9.2025
OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT
for the Committee on Fisheries
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community (2025–2029)
(07374/2025 – C100114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE))
Rapporteur for opinion: Tiago Moreira de Sá
SHORT JUSTIFICATION
The Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community, signed and effective from 18 April 2008, covers six years and is tacitly renewable for additional six-year periods. It remains in force but requires a Protocol for implementation, the previous one having expired on 31 July 2024.
The European Commission negotiated a new Protocol with the government of Côte d’Ivoire, concluding on 21 November 2024 with the initialling of the agreement. The Protocol was formally signed on 6 June 2025 and extends over a four-year period from the date of signature.
Côte d’Ivoire, a lower-middle-income country and one of West Africa’s most economically dynamic nations, ranks 157th on the Human Development Index. It has shown progress in human development, with a declining proportion of its population living below the national poverty line in recent years.
Artisanal fisheries are central to Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing sector, accounting for 70% of national production, approximately 100,000 tonnes annually. Fish is a key dietary component, contributing nearly 40% of animal protein consumed by Ivorians. Coastal fisheries also sustain livelihoods, supporting over 70,000 direct jobs and 400,000 indirect jobs.
The FPA, combined with the new Protocol, enables EU vessels – primarily from Portugal, Spain, and France – to fish for migratory species, notably tuna, in Côte d’Ivoire’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in exchange for financial compensation. The Protocol ensures compliance with national and international obligations, setting conditions for EU vessels’ fishing activities in the EEZ. Its Annex regulates vessel licensing, fees, and obligations to employ African crew members, alongside adherence to labour standards. It also facilitates real-time data sharing on EU vessel activities between the EU and Ivorian authorities to ensure compliance.
Additionally, the Protocol establishes a support programme to: (a) enhance scientific knowledge and capacity regarding fishery resources; (b) manage, develop and promote sustainable small-scale fishing and aquaculture; (c) support local fishing communities, particularly through employment and vocational training, with a focus on women and youth; and (d) strengthen policies for monitoring and inspecting fishing activities, especially to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
With a total financial commitment of EUR 2.960 million over four years (EUR 740,000 annually) and a cap of 32 EU fishing vessels, this Agreement is modest in scale compared to others, such as the EU-Mauritania Agreement, which exceeds EUR 60 million annually. EUR 435,000 annually is allocated to support Côte d’Ivoire’s fisheries sector, while EUR 305,000 per year is paid to the national budget for fishing rights equivalent to 6,100 tonnes of fish. EU vessel operators also pay fees, including a minimum annual fee per vessel and EUR 80–85 per tonne caught.
For the EU, the renewed fisheries cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire is significant due to the extensive fishing zone under Ivorian jurisdiction, the country’s role in sub-regional ocean governance, and the strategic importance of the port of Abidjan as a logistical hub and major landing and transshipment port. For Côte d’Ivoire, the Protocol reinforces a mutual commitment to strengthen ocean governance, with authorities anticipating that sectoral support will enhance the processing sector, diversify the economy, and promote sustainable development.
For these reasons, the rapporteur recommends that the European Parliament gives its consent to the new Protocol. It is well-balanced, aligns with EU Member States’ priorities, promotes responsible and sustainable fisheries resource exploitation, and supports Côte d’Ivoire’s national fisheries policy. Both the ex-post evaluation of the 2018–2024 Protocol and the ex-ante evaluation of this new Protocol, conducted by the European Commission, confirm its mutual benefits for both parties.
******
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 Union, of the Protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the European Community (2025–2029).
ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT
The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
Title
Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
References
07374/2025 – C10-0114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE)
Committee(s) responsible
Date announced in plenary
PECH
7.7.2025
Opinion by
Date announced in plenary
DEVE
7.7.2025
Rapporteur for the opinion
Date appointed
Tiago Moreira de Sá
7.7.2025
Date adopted
1.9.2025
Result of final vote
+:
–:
0:
13
1
6
Members present for the final vote
Barry Andrews, Hildegard Bentele, Udo Bullmann, Niels Geuking, Charles Goerens, György Hölvényi, Marc Jongen, Isabella Lövin, Ana Miranda Paz, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Leire Pajín, Marco Tarquinio
Substitutes present for the final vote
Damien Carême, Ondřej Kolář, Carla Tavares
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote
Marc Angel, Mélanie Disdier, Michalis Hadjipantela, Esther Herranz García, Paulius Saudargas
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
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PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
Title
Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
References
07374/2025 – C10-0114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE)
Date of consultation or request for consent
12.6.2025
Committee(s) responsible
Date announced in plenary
PECH
7.7.2025
Committees asked for opinions
Date announced in plenary
DEVE
7.7.2025
BUDG
7.7.2025
Rapporteurs
Date appointed
Ton Diepeveen
8.4.2025
Budgetary assessment
Date of budgetary assessment
BUDG
16.7.2025
Discussed in committee
16.7.2025
Date adopted
4.9.2025
Result of final vote
+:
–:
0:
23
1
1
Members present for the final vote
Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Asger Christensen, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Ton Diepeveen, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Siegbert Frank Droese, Nora Junco García, Isabelle Le Callennec, Isabella Lövin, Giuseppe Lupo, Ana Miranda Paz, Jessica Polfjärd, André Rodrigues, Bert-Jan Ruissen
Substitutes present for the final vote
Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Sofie Eriksson, Sebastian Everding, Marco Falcone, Luke Ming Flanagan, Gabriel Mato, Eric Sargiacomo, Kristoffer Storm
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote
François-Xavier Bellamy, Rachel Blom, Tiago Moreira de Sá
Date tabled
9.9.2025
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
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