COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION Accompanying the document Recommendation for a COUNCIL DECISION authorising the opening of negotiations on behalf of the European Union for the conclusion of a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and a protocol with the Republic of Seychelles
Date: 2019-06-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Seychelles, fishing agreement, fishing area, fishing fleet, fishing rights, negotiation of an agreement (EU), protocol to an agreement, ratification of an agreement, sea fishing, sustainable fisheries

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 18.6.2019  SWD(2019) 209 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION Accompanying the document Recommendation for a  COUNCIL DECISION authorising the opening of negotiations on behalf of the European Union for the conclusion of a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and a protocol with the Republic of Seychelles {COM(2019) 281 final} - {SWD(2019) 210 final}  
 
 
The Council Conclusions on the external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy adopted 
on  19  March  2012,  calls  for  an  ex-post  and  ex-ante  evaluation  to  be  carried  out  by  the 
Commission before negotiating a new protocol to the SFPA1 This stems from Article 31(10) 
of  the  Basic  CFP  Regulation.  Ex-ante  and  ex-post  valuation  studies  aim  to  inform  decision 
makers,  before  the  negotiation  directives  by  the  Council  are  adopted.  The  fishing 
opportunities negotiated under the SFPAs are in line with the best available scientific advice 
and fleet activities are not in competition with the local artisanal fishermen.      

The  first  fisheries  agreement  between  the  EU  and  Seychelles  dates  back  from  1987.  The 
current  Agreement  was  concluded  in  20062  and  is  tacitly  renewed  every  six  years  from  its 
entry  into  force.  Under  the  current  Protocol  of  six  years  (18  January  2014  till  17  January 
2020), the EU fleet is allowed to fish tuna in Seychelles’ waters with a reference tonnage of 
50 000 tonnes per year. Access is given to 40 tune purse seiners and 6 surface longliners. In 
addition to the fees paid by the European fleet, the EU pays a financial contribution of 5 000 
000  EUR  per  year  for  this  partnership,  out  of  which  2  500  000  EUR  are  earmarked  for 
supporting the local fishing sector in Seychelles and improving fisheries governance3. 

In accordance with the Better Regulation guidelines, the Staff Working Document (SWD) and 
its executive summary present the results of a retrospective (ex-post- evaluation carried out by 
an  independent  contractor  and  a  forward-looking  (ex-ante)  evaluation  in  view  of  a  possible 
renewal of the Protocol and of a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement. 

The  contractor  has  fully  addressed  the  evaluation  questions  and  provided  the  Commission 
with  concrete,  reliable  and  credible  results.  Based  on  these  observations,  the  contractor  has 
drawn  conclusions  based  on  objective  analysis  and  made  specific  and  relevant 
recommendations  for  future  negotiations  on  future  agreement  and  protocol  between  the  EU 
and Seychelles.    

Therefore,  from  all  options  considered  the  renewal  of  the  Protocol  at  the  end  of  its 
implementation  period  (17  January  2020)  clearly  appears  as  the  preferred  option.  The 
evaluation  also  concludes  that  it  could  be  in  the  mutual  interest  of  both  parties  to  consider 
updating the framework for their cooperation by the adoption of a new Sustainable Fisheries 
Partnership  Agreement.  Any  other  option  would  not  bring  the  same  benefits,  including  the 
option of not renewing the Protocol.  

The  current  Protocol  positively  addresses  the  identified  needs  of  the  different  stakeholders. 
Therefore, the evaluation recommends retaining a similar technical and financial approach in 
a  future  Protocol,  with  however  some  adaptations  aimed  in  particular  at  improving  the 
implementing technical conditions of its access component as well as the management of the 
sectoral support.  

To sum up, the Commission generally supports the conclusions of the assessment made by the 
contractor. 

1 
2  
3  

Doc. 7086/12 PECHE 66. 
OJ L290 of 20.10.2006, p.2  
For the last 4 years of the Protocol. For the first 2 years, it was 5 350 000 

1