COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2021/1116

of 28 June 2021

on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Community (2021-2026)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Community (1) (the ‘Agreement’), approved by Council Regulation (EC) No 450/2007 (2), entered into force on 11 June 2007. The Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Gabonese Republic (3), signed on 24 July 2013 (the ‘2013 Protocol’), expired on 23 July 2016.

(2) The Commission has negotiated, on behalf of the Union, a new Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Community (2021-2026) (the ‘Protocol’) for a period of five years.

(3) Following those negotiations, the Protocol was initialled on 10 February 2021.

(4) On 28 June 2021, the Council adopted Decision (EU) 2021/1117 (4) on the signing and provisional application of the Protocol, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

(5) The fishing opportunities provided for in the Protocol should be allocated among the Member States for the entire period of application of the Protocol.

(6) This Regulation should enter into force as soon as possible, in view of the economic importance of Union fishing activities in the Gabonese fishing zone and the need to reduce as much as possible the period of interruption of such activities.

(7) The Protocol is to be applied on a provisional basis as from the date of its signature in order to allow Union vessels to again undertake fishing activities in the Gabonese fishing zone. This Regulation should therefore apply from the same date,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 The fishing opportunities established under the Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Union (2021-2026) (the ‘Protocol’) shall be allocated among the Member States as follows: (a) tuna seiners: Spain: 15 vessels, France: 12 vessels; (b) pole-and-line tuna vessels: Spain: 5 vessels, France: 1 vessel; (c) trawlers: Spain: 4 vessels.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from the date of signature of the Protocol.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Luxembourg, 28 June 2021. For the Council The President M. do C. ANTUNES

(1) OJ L 109, 26.4.2007, p. 3.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 450/2007 of 16 April 2007 on the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Community (OJ L 109, 26.4.2007, p. 1).

(3) OJ L 250, 20.9.2013, p. 2.

(4) Council Decision (EU) 2021/1117 of 28 June 2021 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Community (2021-2026) (see page 3 of this Official Journal).