Brussels, 23/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 23 July, the Council of the EU adopted a decision on the signature, on behalf of the EU, (and provisional application) of an agreement between the EU and the Kingdom of Norway concerning reciprocal access to fishing in the Skagerrak. The delegation of the United Kingdom abstained.
The European Commission presented this proposal on 25 June. The agreement on reciprocal access to the fishing zones of Skagerrak and Kattegat concluded between Denmark, Norway and Sweden was signed on 19 December 1966 and entered into force on 7 August 1967. It authorised reciprocal access between Denmark, Norway and Sweden to conduct fishing in the area located up to four nautical miles from their respective baselines in the Skagerrak and Kattegat. It also provided for the area in question to be considered as high seas for the purposes of these fishing activities, and for issues such as control to come under the jurisdiction of the flag state. When Denmark and Sweden joined the European Union in 1973 and 1995 respectively, the EU became responsible for the management of the 1966 agreement on behalf of these two member states. On 29 July 2009, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry informed Denmark, the depository of the 1966 agreement, that it wished to terminate the agreement through formal denunciation and therefore the 1966 agreement expired on 7 August 2012.
The Council authorised the Commission to negotiate a new agreement on behalf of the Union with the Kingdom of Norway on reciprocal access to fishing activities in the Skagerrak and, following these negotiations, the agreement between the EU and the Kingdom of Norway on reciprocal access for vessels flying the flag of Denmark, Norway and Sweden to fishing activities in the Skagerrak was initialled on 24 October 2013. This agreement is now to be officially signed. The agreement should be applied provisionally for a maximum period of two years from the date of its signature, pending its entry into force. (LC)