Brussels, 24/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 January, the EU adopted a decision on the signing on behalf of the EU, and provisional application of a protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and the Republic of Mozambique. A compromise was recently established between the European Commission and the authorities in Mozambique on the renewal for a further three years (as from 1st January 2012) of the partnership agreement in the fisheries sector between the EU and Mozambique (see EUROPE 10395). On 22 November 2007, the Council adopted a regulation on concluding the fisheries agreement between the two parties. A protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial payment in return included in the agreement expired on 31 December 2011. The Union then began negotiations with Mozambique on a new protocol. At the end of these negotiations, the protocol was initialled on 2 June 2011. In order to ensure the continuation of fishing by European Union vessels, the protocol is expected to be applied provisionally as from the date of signature.
The Council also adopted the regulation on fishing opportunities as set out in the framework of this agreement: - tuna purse seiners (Spain 22 vessels, France 20 and Italy 1); - surface longliners (Spain 16 vessels, France 8, Portugal 7 and 1 for the United Kingdom). For the planned three year period, the EU financial payment stands at €2.94 million (€980 000 a year). The new protocol includes a cut in the reference tonnage from 10,000 tonnes to 8,000, to take into account of the reduced fishing operation in place since 2008, due to the effects of piracy. (LC/transl.fl)