COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2019/1918

of 8 November 2019

on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on an extension to the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, expiring on 15 November 2019

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(2) in conjunction with Article 218(5) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (1) (‘the Agreement’), approved by Council Regulation (EC) No 1801/2006 (2), entered into force on 8 August 2008.

(2) The Protocol to the Agreement, setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution, which entered into force on the same day for a period of two years, has been replaced several times.

(3) The Protocol to this Agreement that is currently in force (3) will expire on 15 November 2019.

(4) On 8 July 2019, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for the conclusion of a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and Protocol implementing that Agreement.

(5) Pending completion of those negotiations, the Commission negotiated, on behalf of the Union, an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters on an extension, for a maximum period of one year, to the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement (‘the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters’). Following those negotiations, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters was initialled on 4 September 2019.

(6) The aim of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is to enable the Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to continue working together to promote a sustainable fisheries policy and the sound exploitation of fisheries resources in Mauritanian waters, and to allow Union vessels to fish in those waters.

(7) In order to ensure continuity of fishing activities by Union vessels in Mauritanian waters, it is appropriate to apply the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters on a provisional basis from 16 November 2019, or any other subsequent date from the day of its signing, in accordance with point 6 of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters.

(8) The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the conclusion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on an extension to the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, expiring on 15 November 2019, is approved on behalf of the Union, subject to the conclusion of that Agreement. The text of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is attached to this Decision.

Article 2 The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, on behalf of the Union.

Article 3 The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters shall be applied on a provisional basis, as from 16 November 2019 or any other subsequent date from the day of its signing (4), pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force.

Article 4 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 8 November 2019. For the Council The President L. ANDERSSON

(1) OJ L 343, 8.12.2006, p. 4.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1801/2006 of 30 November 2006 on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (OJ L 343, 8.12.2006, p. 1).

(3) Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania for a period of four years (OJ L 315, 1.12.2015, p. 3).

(4) The date from which the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters will be applied provisionally will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.