Council Decision (EU) 2023/658 of 23 January 2023 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte
Date: 2023-01-23
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU waters, Mayotte, Seychelles, agreement (EU), catch area, fishing rights, fishing vessel, interim agreement (EU), sea fishing, ship's flag, signature of an agreement








L_2023083EN.01000701.xml










22.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


L 83/7








            COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2023/658
of 23 January 2023
         
on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte


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(5) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


The Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of the Seychelles on access for fishing vessels flying the flag of the Seychelles to waters and marine biological resources of Mayotte, under the jurisdiction of the European Union (1) (the ‘Agreement of 2014’) was signed on 20 May 2014, in accordance with Council Decision 2014/331/EU (2).












(2)


The Agreement of 2014 set out, for a period of six years from the date of its provisional application, the fishing opportunities granted to Seychelles vessels in the fishing zone under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Union in Mayotte. The period of application of the Agreement of 2014 expired on 20 May 2020.












(3)


The Agreement of 2014, on the basis of Article 17 thereof, was tacitly renewed for an additional period of six years.












(4)


On 24 October 2019, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Seychelles in order to conclude a new agreement. Those negotiations were successfully concluded and the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte (the ‘Agreement’) was initialled on 10 June 2022.












(5)


The objective of the Agreement is to enable the Union and Seychelles to further strengthen their strategic partnership and to align the technical and financial conditions of the Agreement with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles (3) and its Implementing Protocol signed in 2020, as well as to contribute to responsible fishing in Union waters and to develop fishery policy in Mayotte.












(6)


The Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion at a later date.












(7)


In order to allow, as soon as possible, the continuation of fishing activities by Seychelles vessels, the Agreement should be applied provisionally upon its signature.












(8)


This decision should enter into force upon its adoption for reasons of better administrative management of fishing authorisations.












(9)


The European Data Protection Supervisor was consulted in accordance with Article 42 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) and delivered its advice on 12 December 2022,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles on access for Seychelles fishing vessels to the waters of Mayotte (the ‘Agreement’) is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement (5).


Article 2
The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement on behalf of the Union.


Article 3
The Agreement shall be applied on a provisional basis as from the date of its signature (6), pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force.


Article 4
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at Brussels, 23 January 2023.


For the Council


The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES
            





(1)  
            OJ L 167, 6.6.2014, p. 4.

(2)  Council Decision 2014/331/EU of 14 April 2014 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of the Seychelles on access for fishing vessels flying the flag of the Seychelles to waters and marine biological resources of Mayotte, under the jurisdiction of the European Union (OJ L 167, 6.6.2014, p. 1).

(3)  
            OJ L 60, 28.2.2020, p. 5.

(4)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39).

(5)  See page 9 of this Official Journal.

(6)  The date from which the Agreement will be provisionally applied will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.