COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 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 Ficheries Partnership Agreement and a Protocol with the Government of Denmark and the Home Rule Government of Greenland
Date: 2019-10-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Denmark, Greenland, catch quota, fishing agreement, fishing rights, negotiation of an agreement (EU), protocol to an agreement, ratification of an agreement, sea fishing, sustainable fisheries

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 23.10.2019  SWD(2019) 385 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  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 Ficheries Partnership Agreement and a Protocol with the Government of Denmark and the Home Rule Government of Greenland   {COM(2019) 491 final} - {SWD(2019) 386 final}  
 
 
The Council conclusions on the external dimension of the CFP (19 March 2012) call for the 
Commission  (pursuant  to  Article 31(10)  of  the  CFP  Regulation)  to  carry  out  ex post  and 
ex ante  evaluations  before  negotiating  a  new  protocol  to  a  sustainable  fisheries  partnership 
agreement  (SFPA)1.  The  aim  is  to  inform  decision-makers  before  the  Council  adopts 
negotiation directives. The fishing opportunities negotiated under SFPAs are in line with the 
best available scientific advice and there is no negative impact on fish stocks or competition 
with local artisanal or small-scale operators. 

The current EU-Greenland protocol (which expires on 31 December 2020 and thus has to be 
renegotiated) allows the EU fleet to fish in Greenlandic waters for cod, pelagic and demersal 
redfish,  Greenland  halibut,  shrimp,  grenadier  and  capelin,  for  indicative  annual  fishing 
opportunities  of  42 726 tonnes.  In  addition  to  fees  paid  by  the  EU  fleet,  the  EU  pays 
Greenland annual financial compensation of EUR 13 168 978 from the EU budget as annual 
compensation  (calculated  on  the  basis  of  reference  prices  for  each  species),  including  a 
financial  reserve  of  EUR 1 700 000  for  potential  additional  quantities.  The  EU  budget  also 
provides for an amount of EUR 2 931 999 to support Greenland’s sectoral fisheries policy. 

In  accordance  with  the  ‘better  regulation’  guidelines,  the  staff  working  document  and 
executive  summary  present  the  results  of  an  ex post  evaluation  study  by  an  independent 
contractor and an ex ante study in view of the possible renewal of the agreement and protocol. 

The  contractor  fully  addressed  the  evaluation  questions  and  provided  the  Commission  with 
concrete,  reliable  and  credible  results.  It  drew  conclusions  based  on  objective  analysis  and 
made specific and relevant recommendations for future negotiations. Consultations were held 
with all stakeholders involved.  

The  protocol  can  be  broadly  described  as  a  win-win  arrangement,  in  that  it  addresses  the 
identified  needs  of  the  various  stakeholders.  Renewal  of  the  agreement  and  the  protocol  (at 
the end of its implementation period, i.e. 31 December 2020) emerges clearly as the preferred 
option.  No  other  option,  including  that  of  not  renewing  the  protocol,  would  bring  the  same 
benefits.  The  future  agreement  should  take  the  form  of  a  reviewed  and  updated  SFPA.  The 
future  protocol  should  be  based  on  a  similar  technical  and  financial  approach,  with  some 
technical  adaptations  to  improve  the  conditions  for  implementing  its  access  and  sectoral 
support components.  

1  Doc. 7086/12 PECHE 66. 

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