On Wednesday 4 October, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the EU (Coreper) approved an EU Council recommendation enabling the European Commission to conclude, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, a memorandum of understanding with Iceland on enhanced cooperation in fisheries and maritime affairs. This decision still has to be formally adopted by the EU Council.
On 14 September, the Commission informed the EU Council that it wished to open negotiations for a memorandum of understanding with Iceland. This memorandum of understanding would define the main objectives and areas of cooperation between the EU and Iceland in fisheries and maritime affairs.
These areas of cooperation could include, for example, research and science, cooperation in international fora (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission), a sustainable ‘blue economy’, Arctic issues, marine biodiversity, maritime security and the energy transition in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The memorandum of understanding would not be legally binding and would not replace or modify existing rights/obligations.
Within the EU Council, this issue was discussed at working party level (fisheries), where the initiative received general support from delegations. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)