EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 168/8

Wednesday 14 December 2011

Future protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial compensation provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco

P7_TA(2011)0573

European Parliament resolution of 14 December 2011 on the future Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial compensation provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco (2011/2949(RSP))

2013/C 168 E/02

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco (Council Regulation (EC) No 764/2006 of 22 May 2006 (1)),

— having regard to the draft Protocol between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco setting out the fishing opportunities and financial compensation provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Morocco (11225/2011),

— having regard to the consent procedure pursuant to Article 43(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C7-0201/2011),

— having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Budgets annexed to the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries (A7-0394/2011),

— having regard to the explanatory statement forming part of the recommendation of the Committee on Fisheries (A7-0394/2011), which outlines the shortcomings of the current one-year Protocol,

— having regard to Rules 115(5) and 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, according to the external ex-post evaluation report ordered by the Commission, the current Protocol has a clearly unsatisfactory cost-benefit ratio as a result of the low rate of utilisation of the negotiated fishing opportunities, overfishing and a failure to address ecological and social issues;

B. whereas any future Protocol to be negotiated by the Commission must address the serious problems related to the previous and current protocols;

C. whereas the Fisheries Partnership Agreements should seek to achieve economic and social objectives, on the basis of close scientific and technical cooperation, in order to ensure the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources;

1. Calls on the Commission to move the negotiations on a new Protocol forward in order to rule out any situation in which the Protocol has to be applied provisionally because Parliament has not yet given its consent;

2. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any future Protocol is economically, ecologically and socially sustainable and mutually beneficial;

3. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the principle that EU vessels may only be granted access to surplus stocks is adhered to in all future Protocols; emphasises, in particular, that there must be a rigorous assessment of all stocks;

4. Calls on the Commission to ensure that under the future Protocol fishing opportunities are adjusted in line with scientific advice and stock assessments and with fishing-sector needs; insists, further, that decisions on technical measures and fishing opportunities must be taken on the basis of scientific advice, in consultation with fishermen;

5. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any future Protocol contributes to the development of the Moroccan fisheries management system, including control and surveillance, scientific research, development of local fleets, training, etc.;

6. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the sectoral support is more effectively utilised, and insists that monitoring must be more effective; believes that the Fisheries Partnership Agreement must include effective oversight mechanisms to ensure that funds earmarked for development, and in particular for infrastructure improvements in the fisheries sector, are used properly;

7. Calls on the Commission to take any steps required in order to obtain the necessary data on the implementation of the Protocol and thus make the legislative procedure more transparent;

8. Calls on the Commission to introduce in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement a clause on compliance with human rights, as called for in its resolution of 25 November 2010 on human rights and social and environmental standards in international trade agreements (2);

9. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the future Protocol fully respects international law and benefits all the local population groups affected;

10. Calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with a detailed written report outlining the degree to which Parliament's wishes have been taken into account in the future Protocol;

11. Calls on the Commission, further, to respect the interinstitutional framework agreement and the European Parliament's role, in accordance with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Member States and the Government of Morocco.

(1) OJ L 141,29.5.2006, p. 1.

(2) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0434.