The European Commission adopted a proposal on Thursday 8 October requesting that the EU Council authorise it to conduct negotiations for the conclusion of the fisheries agreement with the United Kingdom and Norway in the waters of the North Sea.
Following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, certain fish stocks in the North Sea can no longer be considered to be shared bilaterally between the EU and Norway alone. These stocks occur in Union waters and in waters under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the United Kingdom and Norway.
According to the Commission, “it is important to cooperate in securing continued responsible fisheries to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable exploitation of marine living resources”. To this end, the European Union aims to conclude a fisheries agreement with the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Norway.
It is therefore appropriate to open negotiations with the United Kingdom and Norway with a view to concluding the Fisheries Agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom and Norway.
According to the Commission’s recommendations, the provisions of the agreement should “maintain the conditions of reciprocal access and the existing quota shares, based on the traditional activity of the EU fleet“ provided for in the EU-Norway Fisheries Framework Agreement and therefore: - ensure that reciprocal access for EU, United Kingdom and Norwegian vessels to EU, United Kingdom and Norwegian waters is maintained; - maintain stable quota shares, which may be adjusted only with the consent of the parties directly concerned; - provide arrangements for the transfer and exchange of quotas and for the setting of total allowable catches or fishing effort limitations.
Fisheries is one of the most difficult subjects in the negotiations on future EU/UK relations (see other news). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)