Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the framework of the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean as regards the application for accession to that Convention submitted by the United Kingdom and repealing Decision (EU) 2019/937
Date: 2020-09-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, United Kingdom, accession to an agreement, conservation of fish stocks, fishing agreement, fishing area, international convention, sea fish

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 28.9.2020  COM(2020) 626 final 2020/0282 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the framework of the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean  as regards the application for accession to that Convention submitted by the United Kingdom and repealing Decision (EU) 2019/937   
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PROPOSAL 

This  proposal  concerns  the  decision  setting  out  the  position  to  be  taken  on  the  European 
Union's behalf in the body established by the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in 
the  North  Atlantic  Ocean1  (“the  NASCO  Convention”)  on  the  accession  –  in  its  own  right 
during the transition  period  –  of the United Kingdom  of Great  Britain and Northern  Ireland 
("the United Kingdom") to that Convention. 

2. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

On  29 March 2017,  the  United  Kingdom  notified  the  European  Council  of  its  intention  to 
withdraw from the European Union, pursuant to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.  

The  Union  and  the  United  Kingdom  have  negotiated  a  withdrawal  agreement  pursuant  to 
Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The Withdrawal Agreement2 entered into force 
on 1 February 2020, after having been agreed on 17 October 2019, together with the Political 
Declaration outlining the framework of the future EU-UK partnership.  

Article 127(1) of the Withdrawal Agreement provides for a  period during which Union law 
will  continue  to  be  applicable  to  and  in  the  United  Kingdom  ("transition  period").  The 
transition  period  ends  on  31 December 2020.  Article  129(1)  of  the  Withdrawal  Agreement 
provides  that,  during  the  transition  period,  the  United  Kingdom  is  bound  by  the  obligations 
stemming  from  the  international  agreements  concluded  by  the  Union,  by  Member  States 
acting on its behalf, or by the Union and its Member States acting jointly. Article 129(3) of 
the  Withdrawal  Agreement  provides  that,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of  sincere 
cooperation, the United Kingdom must refrain, during the transition period, from any action 
or  initiative  which  is  likely  to  be  prejudicial  to  the  Union's  interests,  in  particular  in  the 
framework  of  any  international  organisations,  agency,  conference  or  forum  of  which  the 
United Kingdom is a party in its own right.  

The Union has informed its international partners of the specific arrangements set out in the 
Withdrawal  Agreement.  The  Agreement  states  that,  during  the  transition  period,  the  United 
Kingdom will be treated as a Member State for the purposes of the international agreements 
concluded by the Union.  

The  NASCO  Convention  currently  applies  to  the  United  Kingdom  as  a  result  of  the  Union 
being a contracting party to this Convention. This will end on the date the United Kingdom is 
no longer covered by the NASCO Convention as a Member State of the Union. 

The principal objective of the NASCO Convention is “to contribute through consultation and 
co-operation  to  the  conservation,  restoration,  enhancement  and  rational  management  of 
salmon stocks, taking into account the best scientific evidence available to it.” The NASCO 
Convention entered into force on 1 October 1983. The Council of the European Union is the 
depositary for the NASCO Convention.  

In  its  letter  of  28 February 2019,  the  United  Kingdom  submitted  an  application  to  the 
President  of  the  NASCO  council,  requesting  an  approval  of  its  accession  to  the  NASCO 
Convention.  On  11  March  2019,  the  NASCO  Secretariat  notified  all  parties  to  the 
Convention,  including  the  European  Commission,  thereof.  In  accordance  with  Article  17  of 

1 
2 

OJ L 378, 31.12.1982, p. 24.  
Agreement on the  withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the 
European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, OJ C 384I, 12.11.2019, p. 1. 

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the NASCO Convention, prior approval of the NASCO council is needed for the accession of 
the United Kingdom to be considered valid. 

The United  Kingdom  has clarified that its application was submitted as  part of  contingency 
planning  in  the  absence  of  a  withdrawal  agreement.  In  its  application,  the  United  Kingdom 
specified that “[i]n the event that the Withdrawal Agreement is signed, ratified and approved 
[…]  the  United  Kingdom  will  refrain  from  depositing  its  instrument  of  accession  to  bring 
about  membership  of  NASCO  in  its  own  right  with  effect  from  the  point  of  its  withdrawal 
from the European Union.” 
On 27 May 2019, the Council adopted Decision (EU) 2019/9373 on the position to be taken 
on behalf of the European Union in the framework of the NASCO Convention as regards the 
application for accession to that Convention submitted by the United Kingdom. That decision 
was  favourable  to  the  United  Kingdom’s  accession  to  the  NASCO  Convention,  but  the 
approval  was  to  be  given  from  the  moment  Union  law  would  cease  to  apply  to  the  United 
Kingdom. 

In accordance with Article 129(4) of the Withdrawal Agreement, during the transition period, 
the United Kingdom may negotiate, sign and ratify international agreements entered into in its 
own capacity in the areas of exclusive competence of the Union, provided those agreements 
do  not  enter  into  force  or  apply  during  the  transition  period,  unless  so  authorised  by  the 
Union.  Council  Decision  2020/1354  sets  out  the  conditions  and  procedure  for  granting  such 
authorisations. 

By  letter  dated  3 April 2020,  the  United  Kingdom  notified  the  European  Commission  of  its 
intention to express its consent, in its own capacity, to be bound by the NASCO Convention.  

On  9 July 2020,  the  Secretariat  received  an  email  from  the  Council  of  the  European  Union 
(the depositary to the NASCO Convention) attaching an application by the United Kingdom 
to  accede  to  the  NASCO  Convention  and  a  letter  to  the  President  of  NASCO.  This  was 
circulated on 24 July 2020. The letter to the President states that ‘The United Kingdom intends 
to accede to the Convention in a manner consistent with its obligations under the Withdrawal 
Agreement…’ . 
Council Implementing Decision XXX5 authorises the United Kingdom to express its consent, 
in  its  own  capacity,  to  be  bound  by  the  NASCO  Convention  as  the  conditions  set  out  in 
Article 3(1) of Decision (EU) 2020/135 are fulfilled.  

2.1. 

The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation 

The  North  Atlantic  Salmon  Conservation  Organisation  is  an  international  organisation 
established  under  the  NASCO  Convention.  It  was  established  taking  direct  account  of  the 

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Council Decision (EU) 2019/937 of 27 May 2019 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European 
Union in the framework of the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean 
as  regards  the  application  for  accession  to  that  Convention  submitted  by  the  United  Kingdom,  OJ  L 
149, 7.6.2019, p. 61. 
Council  Decision  (EU)  2020/135  of  30  January  2020  on  the  conclusion  of  the  Agreement  on  the 
withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and 
the European Atomic Energy Community, OJ L 29, 31.1.2020, p. 1. 
Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/XXX of [date] on the authorisation of the United Kingdom 
to express its consent to be bound, in its own capacity, by certain international agreements entering into 
force or be applied during the transition period in the area of the Union’s common fisheries policy (OJ 
L xxx, xxx, p. xxx). 

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specific  provisions  on  anadromous  fish  stocks  of  fish  set  out  in  Article  66  of  the  United 
Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 ("UNCLOS")6.  

The  Convention  applies  to  the  wild  salmon  stocks  that  migrate  beyond  areas  of  fisheries 
jurisdiction  of  coastal  States  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  north  of  36°N  latitude  throughout  their 
migratory range.  

NASCO is therefore responsible for regulating the fishing of wild salmon at sea throughout 
the North Atlantic. It also handles questions regarding the conservation of wild salmon stocks. 
In a broader context, NASCO also considers further measures applicable in waters under the 
jurisdiction of the contracting parties as needed to ensure the survival of wild Atlantic salmon.  

NASCO has legal personality and, in its relations with other international organisations and in 
the  territories  of  the  contracting  parties,  it  has  the  legal  capacity  necessary  to  perform  its 
functions and achieve its goals. 

2.2. 

The NASCO 

NASCO consists of a council, three regional Commissions (the North American Commission, 
the North-East Atlantic Commission and the West Greenland Commission) and a Secretariat. 
The  council  has  representatives  from  all  Contracting  Parties  to  the  Convention:  Canada, 
Denmark  (in  respect  of  the  Faroe  Islands  &  Greenland),  the  European  Union,  Norway,  the 
Russian  Federation  and  the  United  States  of  America.  France  (in  respect  of  St.  Pierre  & 
Miquelon) attends NASCO's meetings as an observer. 

The  European  Union  is  a  Party  to  the  NASCO  Convention  because  its  subject  matter  falls 
within  the  scope  of  the  common  fisheries  policy,  for  which  the  Union  has  exclusive 
competence. The Member States are covered by the NASCO Convention under Union law.  

The  European  Union  is  a  full  member  of  both  the  North-East  Atlantic  Commission  and  the 
West Greenland Commission.  In the North American Commission, the European Union has 
the  right  to  submit  and  vote  on  proposals  for  regulatory  measures  on  wild  salmon  stocks 
originating in Union territories. For this purpose, the Union is deemed to be a member of this 
commission insofar as the consideration of such proposals is concerned. 

2.3. 

The envisaged act of the NASCO 

The  NASCO  Convention  is  open  for  accession,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  NASCO 
council, by any State that exercises fisheries jurisdiction in the North Atlantic Ocean or is a 
State of origin for salmon stocks.  

In  its  letter  of  28 February 2019,  the  United  Kingdom  submitted  an  application  to  the 
President of the NASCO council, requesting approval to accede to the NASCO Convention. 
On  11 March 2019,  the  NASCO  secretariat  notified  all  parties  to  the  Convention,  including 
the European Commission, of this request. Under Article 17 of the NASCO Convention, prior 
approval  of  the  NASCO  council  is  needed  for  the  accession  of  the  United  Kingdom  to  be 
considered valid.   

Decisions of the NASCO council are to be taken by a three-quarters majority of the votes of 
the members present that cast an affirmative or negative vote. A vote can only be held if two 
thirds of the members of the council are present.  

Instruments of approval or accession are to be deposited with  the depositary. For each party 
acceding  to  the  NASCO  Convention,  after  the  deposit  of  the  requisite  instruments  of 

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United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, OJ L 179, 23.6.1998, p. 3. 

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ratification, approval or accession, the Convention enters into force on the date of deposit of 
the instrument of accession.  

3. 

POSITION TO BE TAKEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNION 

The purpose of this Council Decision is to enable the Commission to approve, on behalf of 
the Union, the accession of the United Kingdom to the NASCO Convention.  

A core objective of the common fisheries policy, as set out in Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 
of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council7  is  “to  ensure  that  fishing  activities  are 
environmentally,  economically  and  socially  sustainable  and  are  managed  consistently  with 
the  objectives  of  achieving  economic,  social  and  employment  benefits,  and  of  restoring  and 
maintaining fish stocks above levels which can produce maximum sustainable yield and that 
they are contributing to the availability of food supplies.”  

It  is  in  the interest  of the Union that the United Kingdom  cooperates in  the management of 
salmon  stocks,  in  full  compliance  with  UNCLOS  provisions,  with  the  United  Nations 
Agreement for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 
10 December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and 
highly migratory fish stocks of 4 August 19958 ("UNFSA"), and with any other international 
agreement or norm under international law.  

Under Article 66 of  UNCLOS,  states in  whose rivers anadromous stocks originate have the 
primary  interest  in  and  responsibility  for  these  stocks.  The  State  of  origin  of  anadromous 
stocks must ensure their conservation by taking appropriate regulatory measures for fishing in 
all  waters  landward  of  the  outer  limits  of  its  exclusive  economic  zone.  In  cases  where 
anadromous  stocks  migrate  into  or  through  the  waters  landward  of  the  outer  limits  of  the 
exclusive economic zone of a State other than the State of origin,  that State must cooperate 
with the State of origin for the purpose of stock conservation and management. 

The  State  of  origin  of  anadromous  stocks  and  other  States  fishing  these  stocks  must  make 
arrangements to implement Article 66 of UNCLOS. Such cooperation may be established in 
the framework of regional fisheries management organisations. 

The United Kingdom, as a State of origin and as a State exercising fisheries jurisdiction has 
legitimate  interests  within  the  NASCO  Convention  Area  insofar  as  the  waters  under  the 
exclusive  economic  zone  of  the  United  Kingdom  and  the  adjacent  high  seas  fall  within  the 
NASCO Convention Area.  

The  accession  of  the  United  Kingdom  to  the  NASCO  Convention  will  enable  the  United 
Kingdom to cooperate on salmon management and conservation measures with due regard to 
the rights, interests and duties of other countries and the European Union, and to ensure that 
fishing activities do not result in the stock(s) being exploited unsustainably. 

In light of the legitimate fishing interests of the United Kingdom in the NASCO Convention 
Area,  the  obligation  of  the  United  Kingdom  to  cooperate  on  fisheries  management,  and  the 
need  to  ensure  the  binding  character  of  NASCO  decisions  upon  accession  of  the  United 
Kingdom, the Commission recommends approving the United Kingdom’s application.   

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OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 22. 
Agreement on the  implementation of the  provisions of the United Nations  Convention  on the  Law of 
the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and 
highly  migratory  fish  stocks  -  Declaration  concerning  the  competence  of  the  European  Community  - 
Interpretative declarations, OJ L 189, 3.7.1998, p. 17. 

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It  is  proposed  that  the  Commission  be  authorised  to  inform  the  President  of  the  NASCO 
council of the Union position in favour of the United Kingdom’s accession from the moment 
Union law ceases to apply to the United Kingdom and to cast its vote along these lines in the 
context of the NASCO council when voting on the membership of the United Kingdom.  

It  is  appropriate  to  repeal  Decision  (EU)  2019/937  in  order  that  the  Union’s  approval  to 
accede can be given before the end of the transition period.  

4. 

LEGAL BASIS 

4.1. 

Procedural legal basis 

4.1.1.  Principles 

Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provides for 
decisions establishing ‘the positions to be adopted on the Union’s behalf in a body set up by 
an  agreement,  when  that  body  is  called  upon  to  adopt  acts  having  legal  effects,  with  the 
exception of acts supplementing or amending the institutional framework of the agreement.’ 

The concept of ‘acts having legal effects’ includes acts that have legal effects by virtue of the 
rules of international law. It also includes instruments that do not have a binding effect under 
international law, but that are ‘capable of decisively influencing the content of the legislation 
adopted by the EU legislature’9. 

4.1.2.  Application to the present case 

The  NASCO  Convention  is  open  for  accession,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  NASCO 
council, by any State that exercises fisheries jurisdiction in the North Atlantic Ocean or is a 
State of origin for salmon stocks.  

Decisions of the NASCO council are to be taken by a three-quarters majority of the votes of 
the  members  present  and  casting  an  affirmative  or  negative  vote.  A  vote  can  only  be  taken 
unless two thirds of the members of the NASCO council are present.  

Accession  is  effected  by  the  deposit  of  an  instrument  of  accession  with  the  Depositary  and 
takes effect on the date of its receipt.  

The Depositary informs all signatories and all acceding parties of the instruments of approval 
or accession deposited, and notifies them of the date and the Parties in respect of which this 
Convention enters into force. 

The accession of the United Kingdom, once effective, will be binding under international law 
in  accordance  with  Article  17(3)  of  the  NASCO  Convention  and  is  capable  of  decisively 
influencing the content of EU legislation.  

The envisaged act does not supplement or amend the institutional framework of the NASCO 
Convention. Therefore, the procedural legal basis for the proposed decision is Article 218(9) 
TFEU. 

4.2. 

Substantive legal basis 

4.2.1.  Principles 

The  substantive  legal  basis  for  a  decision  under  Article  218(9)  TFEU  depends  primarily  on 
the objective and content of the act on which a position is taken on the Union's behalf. If the 
act pursues several aims or has several components and if one of those aims or components is 

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Judgment  of 
ECLI:EU:C:2014:2258, paragraphs 61 to 64.  

the  Court  of  Justice  of  7  October  2014,  Germany  v  Council,  C-399/12, 

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identifiable  as  the  main  one,  whereas  the  others  are  merely  incidental,  the  decision  under 
Article  218(9)  TFEU  must  be  founded  on  a  single  substantive  legal  basis,  namely  that 
required by the main or predominant aim or component. 

4.2.2.  Application to the present case 

The main objective and content of the envisaged act relate to the common fisheries policy. 

Therefore, the substantive legal basis of the proposed decision is Article 43 TFEU. 

4.3. 

Conclusion 

The  legal  basis  of  the  proposed  decision  should  be  Article  43,  in  conjunction  with  Article 
218(9) TFEU. 

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2020/0282 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the framework of the 
Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean  as regards the 
application for accession to that Convention submitted by the United Kingdom and 
repealing Decision (EU) 2019/937 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 43, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

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The  Convention  for  the  Conservation  of  Salmon  in  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean1  (‘the 
NASCO  Convention’)  was  approved  by  Council  Decision  82/886/EEC2  and  entered 
into force on 1 October 1983.  

The  NASCO  Convention  currently  applies  to  the  United  Kingdom  as  a  result  of  the 
Union being a Contracting Party to that Convention. 

Under Article 17(3) of the NASCO Convention, the Convention is open for accession, 
subject  to  the  approval  of  the  council  of  the  North  Atlantic  Salmon  Conservation 
Organisation  established  by  the  NASCO  Convention,  by  any  State  that  exercises 
fisheries  jurisdiction  in  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean  or  is  a  State  of  origin  for  salmon 
stocks. 
On 27 May 2019, the Council adopted Decision (EU) 2019/9373 on the position to be 
taken on behalf of the European Union in the framework of the NASCO Convention 
as  regards  the  United  Kingdom’s  application  to  accede  to  the  Convention.  That 
decision  was  favourable  to  the  United  Kingdom’s  accession  to  the  NASCO 
Convention,  but  the  approval  was  to  be  given  from  the  moment  Union  law  would 
cease to apply to the United Kingdom. 

In accordance with Article 129(4) of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United 
Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Northern  Ireland  from  the  European  Union  and  the 
European  Atomic  Energy  Community,  during  the  transition  period,  the  United 
Kingdom  may  negotiate,  sign  and  ratify  international  agreements  entered  into  in  its 
own  capacity  in  the  areas  of  exclusive  competence  of  the  Union,  provided  those 

OJ L 378, 31.12.1982, p. 25. 
Council Decision 82/886/EEC of 13 December 1982 concerning the conclusion of the Convention for 
the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean (OJ L 378 , 31.12.1982, p. 24).  
Council Decision (EU) 2019/937 of 27 May 2019 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European 
Union in the framework of the Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean 
as  regards  the  application  for  accession  to  that  Convention  submitted  by  the  United  Kingdom,  OJ  L 
149, 7.6.2019, p. 61. 

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(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

agreements  do  not  enter  into  force  or  apply  during  the  transition  period,  unless  so 
authorised by the Union. Council Decision (EU) 2020/1354 sets out the conditions and 
procedure for granting such authorisations. 

By  means  of  its  letter  of  3 April 2020,  the  United  Kingdom  notified  the  European 
Commission  of  its  intention  to  express  its  consent,  in  its  own  capacity,  to  be  bound 
during the transition period by the NASCO Convention. 
Council  Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/XXX5 authorises the United Kingdom  to 
express its consent to be bound, in its own capacity, by the NASCO Convention as the 
conditions set out in Article 3(1) of Decision (EU) 2020/135 are fulfilled. 

Under  Article  66  of  the  United  Nations  Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea 
(‘UNCLOS’)6,  States  in  whose  rivers  anadromous  stocks  originate  have  the  primary 
interest in and responsibility for such stocks. The State of origin of anadromous stocks 
must ensure their conservation by taking  appropriate regulatory measures for fishing 
in  all  waters  landward  of  the  outer  limits  of  its  exclusive  economic  zone.  In  cases 
where  anadromous  stocks  migrate  into  or  through  the  waters  landward  of  the  outer 
limits  of  the  exclusive  economic  zone  of  a  State  other  than  the  State  of  origin,  the 
State must cooperate with the State of origin for the purpose of stock conservation and 
management.  

To  prevent  unsustainable  fishing,  it  is  in  the  interest  of  the  Union  that  the  United 
Kingdom cooperates in the management of salmon stocks in full compliance with the 
UNCLOS  provisions,  the  United  Nations  Agreement  for  the  implementation  of  the 
the  Sea  of 
provisions  of 
10 December 1982  relating  to  the  conservation  and  management  of  straddling  fish 
stocks  and  highly  migratory  fish  stocks  of  4 August 1995  (‘UNFSA’)7  and  with  any 
other international agreement or norm under international law.  

the  United  Nations  Convention  on 

the  Law  of 

(10)  As provided in Article 66 of the UNCLOS, the State of origin of anadromous stocks 
and  other  States  fishing  these  stocks  must  make  arrangements  to  implement  that 
Article.  Such  cooperation  may  be  established  in  the  framework  of  regional  fisheries 
management organisations. 

(11)  The  accession  of  the  United  Kingdom  to  the  NASCO  Convention  will    the  United 
Kingdom to cooperate on the necessary conservation and management measures with 
due regard to the rights, interests and duties of other countries and the Union, and to 
ensure  that  fishing  activities  are  carried  out  in  a  way  that  results  in  the  sustainable 
exploitation of the salmon stocks concerned. 

(12)  The  accession  of  the  United  Kingdom  before  the  expiry  of  the  transition  period  will 
enable the United Kingdom  to  give  full effect  to the obligations emanating  from  the 
UNCLOS in respect of conservation and management measures taking effect as from 
the  moment  the  transition  period  ends  and  Union  law  ceases  to  apply  to  it.  It  is 

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Council  Decision  (EU)  2020/135  of  30  January  2020  on  the  conclusion  of  the  Agreement  on  the 
withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and 
the European Atomic Energy Community, (OJ L 29, 31.1.2020, p. 1). 
Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/XXX of [date] on the authorisation of the United Kingdom 
to express its consent to be bound, in its own capacity, by certain international agreements entering into 
force or be applied during the transition period in the area of the Union’s common fisheries policy (OJ 
L xxx, xxx, p. xxx). 
OJ L 179, 23.6.1998, p. 3. 
OJ L 189, 3.7.1998, p. 14. 

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therefore  in  the  interest  of  the  Union  to  approve  the  application  submitted  by  the 
United Kingdom to accede to the NASCO Convention. 

(13) 

In  the  interest  of  clarity  and  legal  certainty,  Decision  (EU)  2019/937  should  be 
repealed,   

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

1. 

2. 

The position to  be taken on the Union's behalf in the council of the North  Atlantic 
Salmon  Conservation  Organisation  (‘the  NASCO  council’)  established  by  the 
Convention  for  the  Conservation  of  Salmon  in  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean  (‘the 
NASCO Convention’) shall be to approve the application for accession of the United 
Kingdom to that Convention.  

The Commission shall be authorised to vote in the NASCO council on the accession 
of  the  United  Kingdom  to  the  NASCO  Convention  and  on  the  United  Kingdom’s 
membership of the the West Greenland Commission and of the North-East Atlantic 
Commission.  

Decision (EU) 2019/937 is repealed.  

Article 2 

Article 3 

This Decision is addressed to the Commission. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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