On Wednesday 16 May, the European Commission adopted proposal asking the Council to grant it a mandate to negotiate a new protocol to the fisheries agreement between the EU and Cabo Verde (see EUROPE 11385).
The existing EU-Cabo Verde agreement was concluded on 30 December 2006. The current four-year protocol entered into application on 23 December 2014 and will expire on 22 December 2018.
It sets the fishing opportunities provided to the EU fleet and the corresponding financial contribution paid by the Union and by ship-owners. The annual EU public financial contribution due to Cabo Verde is €550,000 for the first two years, €275,000 of which is earmarked for sectoral support; and €500,000 for the final two years, €250,000 of which is earmarked for sectoral support.
The agreement with Cabo Verde provides fishing opportunities targeting tuna and highly migratory species for vessels from three member states (Spain, France and Portugal). The EU already has a well-developed network of bilateral fisheries agreements in West Africa, namely with Morocco, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)