2003/838/EC: Council Decision of 27 November 2003 on the signing, on behalf of the Community, and provisional application of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters extending for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 the validity of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire on fishing off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire
Date: 2003-11-27
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Côte d'Ivoire, agreement (EU), financial compensation of an agreement, fishery management, fishing agreement, fishing rights

4.12.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 319/17

COUNCIL DECISION

of 27 November 2003

on the signing, on behalf of the Community, and provisional application of the Agreement in the
form of an Exchange of Letters extending for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 the
validity of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided
for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Côte
d'Ivoire on fishing off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire

(2003/838/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com-
munity, and in particular Article 37 in conjunction with the
first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Under the terms of the Agreement between the Euro-
pean Economic Community and the Republic of Côte
d'Ivoire on fishing off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire (1), the
contracting parties are, prior to the expiry of the period
of validity of the Protocol to the Agreement, to enter
into negotiations to determine by mutual agreement the
contents of the Protocol for the period that follows and,
where applicable, the amendments or additions to be
made to the Annex thereto.

The two parties have decided that, pending negotiations
on amendments to the Protocol, the period of validity of
the current Protocol approved by Regulation (EC) No
722/2001 (2), should be extended by one year by means
of an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters
initialled on 16 May 2003.

By virtue of the agreement in the form of an exchange
of letters, Community fishermen are, from 1 July 2003
to 30 June 2004, entitled to fishing opportunities in
waters under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of Côte
d'Ivoire.

is essential

To avoid any interruption in the fishing activities of
Community vessels it
the extension
should come into effect as soon as possible. It is there-
fore advisable to sign the agreement in the form of an
exchange of letters and apply it provisionally pending
the
for
concluding it.

completion of

procedures

required

that

the

(5)

The method of allocating the fishing opportunities
among Member States on the basis of the Protocol that
has expired should be confirmed,

(1) OJ L 379, 31.12.1990, p. 3.
(2) OJ L 102, 12.4.2001, p. 1.

Article 1

The signing of the Agreement, in the form of an Exchange of
Letters extending for the period from 1 July 2003 to 30 June
2004 the validity of the Protocol setting out the fishing oppor-
tunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agree-
ment between the European Economic Community and the
Republic of Côte d'Ivoire on fishing off the coast of Côte
d'Ivoire is hereby approved on behalf of
the Community,
pending a Council Decision to conclude the Agreement.

The text of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of
Letters is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters shall
apply provisionally from 1 July 2003.

Article 3

The fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol shall be allo-
cated among the Member States as follows:

(a) demersal fishing:

Spain: 600 GRT per month, annual average

(b) tuna fishing:

(i) tuna seiners

— France:

18 vessels

— Spain:

21 vessels

(ii) surface longliners

— Spain:

15 vessels

— Portugal:

5 vessels

(iii) pole-and-line tuna vessels

— France:

7 vessels

— Spain:

5 vessels.

L 319/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

4.12.2003

If licence applications from these Member States do not cover
all the fishing opportunities available under the Protocol, the
Commission may consider licence applications from any other
Member State.

Article 5

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate
the persons empowered to sign the Agreement in the form of
an exchange of letters on behalf of the Community pending its
conclusion.

Article 4

Member States whose vessels operate under the Agreement in
the form of an Exchange of Letters shall, in accordance with
the detailed rules laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No
500/2001 (1), notify the Commission of the quantities of each
stock caught in the fishing area of Côte d'Ivoire.

Done at Brussels, 27 November 2003.

For the Council

The President

R. CASTELLI

(1) OJ L 73, 15.3.2001, p. 8.