Communication from the Commission on an integrated framework for fisheries partnership agreements with third countries
Date: 2002-12-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: common fisheries policy, financial compensation of an agreement, fishery management, fishing agreement, fishing industry, third country

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 23.12.2002
COM(2002) 637 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

ON AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK
FOR FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH THIRD COUNTRIES

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

ON AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK
FOR FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH THIRD COUNTRIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.

2.

2.1.

2.2.

2.3.

3.

3.1.

3.2.

4.

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 3

COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS WITH REGARD TO BILATERAL FISHERIES
RELATIONSHIPS INVOLVING A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION ...................... 4

A sustainable fisheries policy outside Community waters .......................................... 4

The raison d’être of the Community commitments ..................................................... 6

Purpose of Community financing ................................................................................ 7

FISHING PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS (FPA) OBJECTIVES AND THEIR
IMPLEMENTATION .................................................................................................. 9

Why are Fisheries Partnership Agreements necessary ?.............................................. 9

Implementation of FPAs .............................................................................................. 9

CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................... 11

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1.

INTRODUCTION

Fisheries agreements were concluded by the Community following changes to the Law of the
Sea in the seventies. Member States agreed, in a Council Resolution of 3 November 1976, to
transfer their competence in this domain to the Community

As stated in its Communication on the CFP reform1, the Commission believes it essential that
an improved policy concerning the fisheries agreements must be established together with all
partners, private and public, within the Community. This will be a major step to reconfirm the
commitment  of  the  Community  to  contribute  to  the  sustainable  development  of  fishing
activities  at  the  international  level.  At  the  World  Summit  on  Sustainable  Development
(WSSD)  in  Johannesburg,  the  Community  subscribed  to  the  aim  of  global  sustainable
fisheries including the objective to “maintain or restore stocks to levels that can produce the
maximum sustainable  yield with  the aim  of  achieving these  goals  for depleted  stocks  on  an
urgent basis and where possible not later than 2015.” This and the other commitments taken
on  by  the  EC  in  the  Plan  of  Implementation  adopted  in  Johannesburg  willguide  the  future
external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy.

The Commission recognises, that the fisheries agreements must take into account the various
and often complex circumstances of the third countries concerned, as well as the diversity of
the stakeholders, on a case by case basis:

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– 

– 

1

2

3

The  Community  should  first  of  all  defend  the  legitimate  objectives  of  its  fishing
industry  and  seek,  within  the  international  framework2,  new  alliances  and
partnerships with Coastal Developing States, through multilateral actions covering
fishing  on  the  high  seas,  straddling  stocks  and  highly  migratory  species.  The
Community should as part of a sustainable fishery policy also promote international
and  regional  co-operation  for  the  sustainable  exploitation  of  resources  based  on
sound  scientific  advice,  and  better  control  and  enforcement  systems,.  All  these
conditions are essential for an economically viable and competitive fishing industry;

Where the fishing interests are traditionally shared and the relations are balanced, in
particular  with  the  neighbouring  coastal  states,  the  Community  should  consolidate
these  relations  by  co-operating  with  the  third  countries  concerned  to  establish
responsible fisheries management through continuity agreements. This will be done
by  adapting  the  fishing  effort  to  the  resources  concerned,  in  conformity  with  the
objectives  of  the  Common  Fishery  Policy  to  provide  sustainable  development  in
environmental, economic and social terms, and in the line of the Conclusions of the
Council of 30 October 19973;

institutional
In  bilateral  relationships  characterised  by  economic,  social  or 
differences,  the Community will,  through  fisheries partnership  agreements  (APP)
strengthen co-operation to ensure the implementation of a sustainable fisheries policy
and a rational and responsible exploitation of the resources in the mutual interest of
the Parties concerned. In order to allow the European long distant waters fishing fleet

COM (2002) 181 final of 28 May2002.
Concerning the participation of the Community to the regional fisheries organisations (RFO) cf COM
613 of 08/12/99 and Council Conclusions of 16 June 2000.
Doc 11784/97 of 4 November 1997.

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to  consolidate  its  role  the  sustainable  exploitation  of  global  fishing  stocks  must  be
ensured.

This Communication focuses on the  fisheries agreements concluded  with third countries
that involve  the  payment  of  a  financial  contribution.  The  Commission  proposes  that  EU
fisheries bilateral relations gradually move from access agreements to partnership agreements
with a view to contribute to responsible fishing in the mutual interest of the Parties concerned.
Since these agreements  are mainly  established  with developing  countries, in particular ACP
countries, it is therefore necessary:

- first, to examine the political objectives of the Community commitments to promote policy
dialogue in fisheries matters,

- second, to identify and define the measures which should be set up in order to achieve the
political objectives jointly identified by the EC and its Partners.

2.

COMMUNITY  COMMITMENTS  WITH  REGARD  TO  BILATERAL
FISHERIES 
FINANCIAL
CONTRIBUTION

RELATIONSHIPS 

INVOLVING 

A 

2.1.

A sustainable fisheries policy outside Community waters

The  fisheries  agreements  have  allowed  the  EC  to  establish  stable  relationships  with  15
Developing Coastal States. These  agreements  will  provide, the  necessary  framework  for the
sustainable exploitation of fishing resources.

These  fisheries  agreements  generate  in  Europe  and  the  coastal  states  important,  often  vital,
economic activities, not only through the exploitation of fishing resources but also through the
development of associated activities. The positive impact of the new Partnerships agreements
on the Developing Country’s local economies should even be more important in the future4.

The Green Paper on the CFP5 set out a clear and undisputed diagnosis on the current situation
of the long distant waters fleet (LDWF) policy. The situation is amplified by the fact that the
LDWF is evolving in a global context of scarcity and overexploitation of some fish stocks and
is  becoming  less  and  less  competitive  vis-à-vis  the  fleets  of  new  emerging  fishing  nations
which  are  operating  at  lower  costs.  In  the  mean  time,  the  generalisation  of  flags  of
convenience,  illegal  fishing,  lack  of  transparent  rules,  effects  of  direct  or  indirect  public
subsidies  leads  to  an  increasing  distortion  of  competition  and  the  development  of  practices
that offer fewer guarantees for the maintenance of a sustainable global fishing activity6.

In the meantime, the EC has committed itself to

4

5
6.

To  this  end  Community  will  undertake  sustainability  impact  assessments  of  FPAs  and  impact
assessment studies in order to evaluate the impact on the local economy .
Doc. COM (2001) 135 final du 20 mars 2001, point 3.9 “International dimension”.
see  Commission  Communication  "Action  Plan  with  a  view  to  eradicating  illicit,  undeclared  and
unregulated fishing COM (2002) 180 final of 28.5.2002.

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-  increase  its  contribution  towards  sustainable  development  in  its  environmental,  economic
and social aspects 7,

- improve global good governance at political and financial levels,

-  contribute  to  the  eradication  of  poverty  in  line  with  the  objectives  of  sustainable
development  and  the  gradual  integration  of  the  ACP  States  into  the  world  economy  8,
including the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations trade in fisheries products 9.

The Objective of the European Community:

The  European  Union  has  agreed  on  many  occasions  that  it  will  contribute  to  sustainable
fisheries inside and outside Community waters. Different European Policies should contribute
together to this overall objective while following their own specific objectives:

(cid:1)  The  specific  objective  of  the  Common  Fisheries  Policy  is  to  maintain  the  European

presence in distant Fisheries and to protect European fisheries sector interests

(cid:1)  The  specific  objective  of  the  European  Development  Policy  is  to  foster  Developing
Countries Capacities to exploit their marine resources, to increase local value added and to
obtain the fairest price for access rights to their EEZ by foreign fleets.

Other  European  Policies  like  Research,  Trade,  Environment,  contribute  also  through  their
own objectives to the overall objective of sustainable fisheries.

In order to guarantee the long term future of LDWF activities, fisheries policy commitments
should be taken on the same  basis as for  the CFP with regard  to sustainable exploitation of
fishing resources and integration of environmental protection.

A  lack  of  political  initiatives  at  EU  level  would,  in  the  medium  term,  lead  to  the  gradual
reduction  of  the  Community  LDWF.  This  would  not  occur  by  scrapping  vessels,  ,  but
probably rather by a change of flag, and in particular a change to a flag of convenience and/ or
an increase in private fishing arrangements. The experience of the past years has shown that
with the departure of the Community fleet from third country fishing grounds the amount of
fishing does not decrease, but stays the same or is even increased, as Community vessels are
replaced  by  vessels  from  other  third  countries  or  by  vessels  flying  flags  of  convenience.  In
cases where private licenses are sold to operators, there is also no guarantee that the financial
counterpart benefits the fisheries industry and their employees in the third country in the way
that the Community targeted actions do.

7 

8 

9 

Cf; Communication from the Commission to the Council, to the European Parliament, to the Economic
and  Social  Committee  and  to  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  "Towards  a  world  partnership  for
sustainable  development"  COM  (2002)  82  final  of  the  13.02.02..  Furthermore  EC  contribute  to  the
World Summit on Sustainable Development, cf in particular the Plan of Implementation for the WSSD
and in particular by paragraphs 29, 30 and 31.
Cf. Cotonou Agreement in particular Article 18, 23, 34, 53, 69, and 74 to 78 and the Council Resolution
on Fisheries and Poverty Reduction of 8 November 2001 (doc. 13398/01 of 14 November 2001).
Cf. WTO Ministerial Conference Fourth session Doha 9-14 November 2001 WT/MIN(01) /DEC/W/1
“….  in  this  context  of  these  negotiations,  participants  shall  also  aim  to  clarify  and  improve  WTO
disciplines  on  fisheries  subsidies,  taking  into  account  the  importance  of  this  sector  to  developing
countries …”.

5

                                                
This situation should be avoided, since it would result in a substantial reduction of the role of
the  EC  external  fisheries  policy  and  the  disappearance  of  the  European  LDWF  and
subsequently  by  reducing  the  ability  of  the  Community  to  honour  and  implement  its
commitments  taken  within  the  framework  of  bilateral  and  multilateral  fisheries  agreements.
This would also  lead  to  a  situation  whereby the European  LDWF  will  be  replaced  by  other
LDWF,  whose  criteria  and  conditions  may  not  conform  to  those  of  a  global  sustainable
fisheries policy.

2.2.

The raison d’être of the Community commitments

For  these  reasons,  the  Commission  believes  that  the  Community,  as  a  public  player  in  the
negotiation  and  management  of  fisheries  partnerships  agreements  (FPAs),  must  continue  its
activities in this domain in order to promote the implementation of the Code of Conduct for
Responsible  Fisheries  (FAO-1995)  and  the  Compliance  Agreement  with  International
Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas (FAO 1993).
This  position  is  included  in  the  Council  Resolution  of  8  November  200110  which
acknowledged  the  potential  role  of  fisheries  agreements  in  contributing  to  the  reduction  of
poverty  when  they  are  designed  and  implemented  in  the  respect  of  the  sustainability
principles.

The  Commission  believes,  therefore,  that  the  European  contribution  to  responsible  fisheries
policy  requires  the  definition  and  the  implementation  of  a  binding  framework  between  the
Community and the Developing Coastal States concerned.

With the aim of establishing a policy dialogue in fishery matters, all the means to implement
such a binding framework will have to be clearly defined by mutual agreement and be subject
to adequate control mechanisms in line with Community policies and actions.

For  this  purpose,  the  “coherence”  principle  enshrined  in  the  Treaty  11  must  be  strictly
respected. Each policy area follows its own objectives through the instruments and procedures
at  its  disposal12,  but  consistency  of  the  European  external  activities  must  be  ensured.  The
Community FPAs will therefore be in conformity with the principle of coherence.

FPAs must as well as integrate the objectives of sustainable fisheries development including
components  related  to  the  management  of  resources,  control  and  fleet  management.  The
following should be taken into account :

– 

10
11 

12
13 

the  management  of  resources  is  a  sensitive  issue  in  our  relations  with  developing
countries and the evaluation of the available surplus in the waters of these countries
must :

– 

be in line with the principle of ownership of the fishing policy by the Coastal
State 13

Document 13938/01 of 14 November 2001.
Cf. Article 178of the Treaty, Community shall take into account in the policies that it implementation
which are likely to affect Developing Countries the objective defined in the sphere of Developing co-
operation.
Cf. the second part of this Communication.
The  Community  recognises  the  legitimate  right  of  the  coastal  developing  countries  to  implement  a
national and/or regional policy of fishing aiming (I) to sustainable exploit their fishing resources (ii) to
increase local added value and (iii) to obtain the fairest price for access rights to the resource that they

6

                                                
– 

– 

– 

be based on sound scientific and technical advice as defined in article 62 of the
UNCLOS14,

be coherent with the Community objective to avoid the overexploitation of the
stocks concerned, in the interest of the local populations and for the long term
sustainability  of  their  fishery  sector,  therefore  fishing  possibilities  must  be  in
line with and based on best available scientific data,

assess the likely environmental impact of fishing, with a view to adopting the
necessary remedial measures.

– 

– 

The  control,  monitoring  and  surveillance  activities  are  weak  points  in  the
implementation  of  FPAs.  This  will  be  remedied  through  partnership  actions  in
fisheries  control  with  the  countries  concerned  in  conformity  with  the  lines  of  the
reform of the CFP.

The management of the fleet may cover the eventual inclusion of European LDWF
fleet  into  the  fishing  fleet  of  the  partner.  FPAs  can  provide  the  appropriate  legal
framework  and  financial  instruments  reflecting  the  development  objectives  of  our
partners,  encouraging  the  transfer  of  technology,  capital  and  know  how  by  the
promotion  of  joint  enterprises  between  Community  interests  and  those  from  the
coastal states concerned 15.

Moreover, the Community will ensure that public funds are used to support the principles of
good  governance  by  the  relevant  Coastal  State  which  aims  to  implement  a  sustainable
fisheries policy.

2.3.

Purpose of Community financing

The payment by the Community for access rights for Community fleets was originally mainly
justified  by  the  appropriation  of  resources  from  coastal  states.  The  financial  compensation
was based on the access to the fishing possibilities offered by the coastal state concerned.

Now,  due  to  the  difficulties  of  resource  scarcity,  overexploitation,  illegal,  unreported  or
unregulated fishing practices, which are exacerbated by the lack of means in the Developing
Coastal States to ensure  sustainable  management  of  fish  resources  in  the  waters  under  their
jurisdiction, the Community is confronted with further challenges.

14

15 

do not have the capacity to harvest. These policies must respect the rights and obligations arising from
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
As has been pointed out in the Communication on the reform of the CFP, this question will be raised in
an Action plan which specifically addresses the evaluation of the fish stocks outside Community waters.
In  addition  to  CFP  financial  instruments  other  support  may  be  provided  by  instruments  such  as
PRO€INVEST  (an  EU-ACP  partnership  programme  for  the  promotion  of  investment  and  technology
flows in the ACP countries), ESIP (an EU-SADC Investment Programme) which is complementary and
closely co-ordinated with PRO€INVEST, or the Investment Facility (jointly monitored by the EIB and
the Commission) may encourage and support investments and inter-enterprise co-operation agreements
in the  fishing industry in  ACP countries,  by  raising  the  quality  of  local  production  and  exports  or  by
providing adequate resources for investment financing. These instruments may also play an important
role in ensuring that local operators and their associations use and respect international standards, thus
contributing to the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreements (FPA) and therefore to the
sustainability of local fishing activities

7

                                                                                                                                                        
An evolution must therefore be envisaged which must strengthen Developing Coastal States
capacities to implement incorporated in the sustainable fisheries development strategy of the
Community  Partner  Countries.  This  policy  should  be  applied  until  the  countries  concerned
acquire the capacity to manage their own fisheries policy effectively.

It is necessary to widen the scope of the Community financial contribution. In the future, this
financial  contribution  will  be  justified  by  a  mutual  interest  of  the  two  parties  to  invest  in
sustainable fisheries policy and not just as a payment for access rights to fishing possibilities
for the benefit of European fishing enterprises. The Community  financial  compensation will
be envisaged while the Developing Coastal States will continue to make some of their surplus
available to the Community stakeholders.

The Commission considers that the financial contribution made available by the Community
cannot be considered as a subsidy to the European fishermen. This contribution is justified by
the  need  for  the  Community,  by  mutual  interest,  to  provide  adequate  support  to  the
development and the management of a sustainable fishing policy in the third countries where
the European LDWF is operating.

A clear distinction will be done between:

–  The  part  of  the  financial  contribution  given  in  exchange  of  fishing  possibilities  for
European vessels. The private sector shall progressively assume greater responsibility for
the financial contribution.

–  The part of the financial contribution devoted to fisheries partnership actions such as stock

assessments, control monitoring and surveillance activities.

For the future, the Community financial contribution will have to be regarded as investments
for  the  improvement  of  responsible  and  rational  fishing  and  therefore  "based"  on  new
considerations.  This  contribution  mainly  covers  expenses  linked  to  management  costs,  the
scientific assessment of fish stocks, fisheries management, control and monitoring of fishing
activities, as well as expenses for the follow up and evaluation of a sustainable fishing policy.

This  approach  requires  the  calculation  of  a  new  proportionality  in  the  definition  of  the
financial contribution. The relative weight of the fishing opportunities becomes of secondary
importance,  with  the  main  element  being  the  mutual  interest  of  the  Parties  in  establishing
responsible fishing on a sustainable basis.

In future, with respect to the principle of ownership of the development policy by the Coastal
State, the amount of the EC financial contribution under the CFP should take into account the
means necessary to implement sustainable fishing. Among the parameters, on a case by case
basis, the EC financial contribution should be defined according to the following :

– 

16

the relative share  of the Community  interests  in  the exploitation  of  the  surplus  and
the  local  added  value16  of  the  European  activities  in  the  Partner’s  fishing  industry.
The  fishing  rights  should  be  set  at  a  level  that  is  coherent  with  the  objective  of
sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and that is realistic to be achieved.In the event
of the renewal of FPA, the utilisation rates of the fishing opportunities will be taken
into account ,

Value added of the businesses allied to the fishery industry other than those engaged in fishing.

8

                                                
– 

and

– 

specific, targeted measures agreed between the parties and their implementation

the  commitments  of  the  Coastal  State  to  achieving  sustainable  fishing  and  to
implementing  the  necessary  measures  in  the  mutually  agreed  interest  of  the  Parties
involved.

The levelling of the fees paid by the shipowners must be part of the FPA’s which establishes
the rights and obligations of the Parties 17.

The  Community  must  ensure  greater  transparency  and  consistency  with  the  overall
Community  ruling  on  budgetary  and  development  policy.  The  Commission  will  develop  an
approach on how to implement, monitor  and  control the funds envisaged for  the part of the
financial contribution devoted to fisheries partnership actions.

3.

FISHING  PARTNERSHIP  AGREEMENTS 
THEIR IMPLEMENTATION

(FPA)  OBJECTIVES  AND

3.1.

Why are Fisheries Partnership Agreements necessary ?

The  CFP's  overall  objective  is  to  ensure  the  sustainable  management  of  fisheries  resources
from an economic,  social  and  environmental  point of  view,  also  outside  Community  waters
and in particular in the framework of FPAs concluded with Third Countries. To this end, the
Community will undertake sustainability impact assessments on FPAs on the basis of the best
available data and in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

To ensure the coherence between the CFP in its external and internal dimensions, as well as
the  coherence  between  CFP  and  Community  Co-operation  for  Development  Policy  the
instruments and procedures of each policy must contribute to the achievement of the overall
objectives of sustainability of fishing activities in the waters of our Partner Coastal States 18.

The  FPA  concept  must  be  at  the  root  of  the  external  dimension  of  the  CFP  in  order  to
contribute to the establishment of the conditions for sustainable fisheries beyond Community
waters  as  underlined  in  the  Commission  Communication  entitled  "Towards  a  world
partnership for sustainable development"19.

The  Commission  proposes  to  establish  a  sectorial  partnership  in  fishing  with  Developing
Coastal  States  in  line  with  the  co-operation  programmes  provided  for  under  the  Cotonou
Agreement.

3.2.

Implementation of FPAs

The policy dialogue should allow, upstream of the FPAs and while respecting the principle of
ownership of the development policy by the Coastal State concerned, for the definition of the

17 

18 

19

The Commission will analyse the fishing licences fees on  a micro-economic basis taking into account
the characteristics of each fisheries
This  will  be  done  through  synergy  between  the  national  and  regional  programming  process  under
Cotonou and FPAs.
COM (2002) 82 of 13 February 2002.

9

                                                
conditions  of  a  policy  of  sustainable  development  of  fishing  activities  in  the  waters  of  the
country concerned.

This will allow for the identification of :

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

the assessment of the national policy for the fishing sector/industry as defined by the
Coastal State;

the  needs  expressed  by  the  Coastal  State  for  the  sustainable  development  of  its
fishing sector taking into account the local economy;

the financial resources required at Community level, either for aid to development or
for the FPA respecting the specificity of each financial instrument and their nature;

the  necessary  scientific  and  technical  assessments  in  relation  to  the  state  of  the
resources  that  could  potentially  be  exploited  in  the  waters  of  the  Coastal  State
concerned;

the existence and the conditions of access to the surplus which can be exploited by
the distant water fishing fleets;

the share of this surplus that the coastal state  is prepared  to  allocate to Community
fishermen;

the  possible  threats  to  the  environment  posed  by  fishing,  with  a  view  to  adopt  the
appropriate remedial action;

the  definition  of  an  overall  framework  of  common  interest  and  of  the  adequate
measures and modalities for its implementation and evaluation;

the  legal  and  institutional  framework  which  takes  into  account  the  obligations  and
political  commitments  both  to  achieve  responsible  fishing  and  to  allow  for  the
rational  exploitation  of  fish  resources  from  an  environmental,  economic  and  social
point of view;

synergies  to  be  gained  at  a  regional  level  from  regional  co-operation  in  fisheries
policy;

the  contribution  of  the  public  authorities  to  responsible  fishing;  to  establishe  a
positive  atmosphere  for  investment  and  to  encourage  the  necessary  technical,
scientific, economic and social transfers for the fishing industry;

the  activities  of  the  economic  operators  that  would  respect  and  contribute  to  the
achievement of the political initiatives of the public authorities concerned;

the concerns of civil society.

Whenever  it  is  possible,  in  accordance  with  the  mutual  interest  of  the  Parties  and  the
objectives  of  the  co-operation  agreement,  the  FPA  shall  support  measures  aiming  at
promoting  the  creation  of  joint-ventures,  transfer  of  know-how,  transfer  of  technologies,
investments  and  capacity  management  for  the  benefit  of  the  fishing  industry  and  in
accordance  with  the  objectives  and  guidelines  of  the  co-operation  partnership  agreement
between EC and the Third Country concerned.

10

FPAs  will  have  to  be  incorporated  into  the  logic  of  the  development  strategies  of  coastal
states  as  they  will  result  from  the  Development  programmes  constructed  at  National  or
Regional levels with the help of the Community. The Development Co-operation should also
be  mobilised  to  ensure  the  formulation  of  fishing  policy  by  the  Developing  Coastal  State
concerned,  the  follow  up  of  the  actions  undertaken,  including  those  undertaken  for  long
distant water fleet operating in the waters under their jurisdiction, in order to assess the impact
of the sustainable development of fishing activities.

FPA will continue to be negotiated and managed according to the existing institutional rules.
The legal basis for the negotiation and approval of agreements will remain Article 300 of the
EU Treaty in combination with Article 37 of this Treaty.

4.

CONCLUSION

The Commission, recalling the conclusions of the Council in October 1997, reaffirms that the
external dimension of the CFP is an essential component of this policy.

The  Commission  considers  that  the  political  principles  of  EC  commitments  for  its  LDWF
fleet  should  be  adjusted  with  a  view  to  contributing  to  the  sustainable  development  of
fisheries in the mutual interests of the Parties. The bilateral commitments should respect the
international  EC  commitments  and  be  based  on  the  principles  of  the  CFP,  i.e.  establishing
sustainable  fisheries  policy  from  an  economic,  social  and  environmental  point  of  view  and
based on the best available scientific data.

The Commission proposes, therefore, according to the general lines of the Reform of the CFP,
the implementation of instruments and procedures based on fishing partnership agreements in
order  to  define  an  integrated  and  binding  framework  between  the  Parties,  to  ensure  the
coherence of its external fisheries policy towards Coastal States with which it has relations in
the fishing sector. The Commission will develop clear rules for establishing the different parts
of the fisheries agreements.

Provided that there is a political agreement on the present Communication and proper respect
of  current  Community  commitments,  in  particular  concerning  the  agreements  and  protocols
now being negotiated, the Commission considers that this approach should be promoted and
progressively implemented, so that starting in 2003 sustainability impact assessments will be
conducted for the negotiations for new fisheries partnership agreements.

11