COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2020/742

of 29 May 2020

on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania concerning the extension of 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 in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament (1),

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2019/1918 (2), the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the extension of 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 Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters’), was signed on 13 November 2019.

(2) The objective of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is to enable the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to continue to work together on promoting a sustainable fisheries policy and the sound exploitation of fisheries resources in Mauritanian waters and to allow Union vessels to carry out their fishing activities in those waters.

(3) The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania concerning the extension of 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 hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

Article 2 The President of the Council shall proceed, on behalf of the Union, with the notification provided for in point 6 of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters (3).

Article 3 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 29 May 2020. For the Council The President A. METELKO-ZGOMBIĆ

(1) Approval of 13 May 2020 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2) 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 (OJ L 297 I, 18.11.2019, p. 1).

(3) The date of entry into force of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.