2001/179/EC: Council Decision of 26 February 2001 setting the terms for financial support to Guinea-Bissau in the fisheries sector
Date: 2001-02-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU aid, Guinea-Bissau, financial aid, fishery management, fishery resources, fishing controls

8.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 66/33

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 26 February 2001

setting the terms for financial support to Guinea-Bissau in the fisheries sector

(2001/179/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof,

(5)

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

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

armed conflict, there is a need to set the terms for
financial support to Guinea-Bissau in the fisheries sector.

It is appropriate for a sum corresponding to the unpaid
financial compensation to be allocated as financial aid
for the restoration of facilities supporting fishing activi-
ties, including infrastructure for monitoring these activi-
ties, under rules to be determined in accord with the
legitimate authorities in Guinea-Bissau,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

In accordance with the Agreement between the Euro-
pean Economic Community and the Government of the
Republic of Guinea-Bissau on fishing off the coast of
Guinea-Bissau signed at Bissau on 27 February 1980 (2)
(hereinafter ‘ the Agreement’), the Council, by Regulation
(EC) No 2615/97 (3), has approved a protocol which sets
out fishing possibilities and financial compensation for
the period from 16 June 1997 to 15 June 2001 (herein-
after ‘the Protocol’).

As a result of the armed conflict which affected Guinea-
Bissau from June 1998 until March 1999, the Govern-
ment of Guinea-Bissau was not able to ensure the
normal course of fishing activities under the said Agree-
ment.

exceptional

This
situation endangered Community
vessels and called for a temporary break in fishing under
the said Agreement as from June 1998 until 1 April
1999. This temporary break in fishing also meant the
non-payment pro rata temporis of the financial compensa-
tion referred to in Article 2 of the Protocol during the
second year of its validity.

(4)

To facilitate the normal course of fishing activities by
Community vessels under the Agreement following the

(1) OJ C 219, 30.7.1999, p. 33.
(2) OJ L 226, 29.8.1980, p. 33.
(3) OJ L 353, 24.12.1997, p. 7.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The terms for granting financial support to Guinea-Bissau up
to a maximum of EUR 6 500 000 for the restoration of facili-
ties supporting fishing activities, shall be as follows:

1. the financial support will cover the following activities in

particular:

— support for the management of the Ministry of Fishing
and the rehabilitation of equipment and infrastructure in
the fisheries department,

— strengthening of the system for maritime monitoring

and supervision,

— revitalisation and reinforcement of the fisheries research

programmes;

2. on the basis of the presentation of a programme of activities
by the Government of Guinea-Bissau, the Commission shall
make available before 31 May 2001 to the Government of
Guinea-Bissau, through the bank accounts notified by the
Ministry of Fishing, an amount corresponding to 50 % of
the cost of the planned activities;

L 66/34

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Official Journal of the European Communities

8.3.2001

3. the Commission will pay the balance of the funds, after acceptance of a detailed report which the
Government of Guinea-Bissau shall send to the European Commission delegation, before 31 May 2003.
This report will describe in detail the implementation of these activities and the results obtained. The
Commission reserves the right to ask the Ministry of Fishing for any supplementary information, and to
re-examine the payments involved in the light of the effective implementation of these activities.

Done at Brussels, 26 February 2001.

For the Council

The President

M. WINBERG