Council Decision (EU) 2018/1069
of 26 July 2018
on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (2018-2024)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43, in conjunction with Article 218(5) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
On 17 March 2008, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 242/20081 concluding the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the European Community2 (the ‘Agreement’). The Agreement was then tacitly renewed and is still in force.
The last Protocol to the Agreement expired on 30 June 2018.
The Commission has negotiated, on behalf of the Union, a new Protocol implementing the Agreement (the ‘Protocol’). The Protocol was initialled on 16 March 2018.
The objective of the Protocol is to enable the Union and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (‘Côte d'Ivoire’) to work more closely on promoting a sustainable fisheries policy, sound exploitation of fishery resources in Ivorian waters, and Côte d'Ivoire's efforts to develop a blue economy.
The Protocol should be signed.
In order to ensure an expeditious start to fishing activities of Union vessels, the Protocol should be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: