COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION to the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Cabo Verde Accompanying the document Recommendation for a COUNCIL DECISION authorising the opening of the negotiations on behalf of the European Union for the conclusion of an Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cabo Verde
Date: 2023-11-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Cabo Verde, European Commission, fishing agreement, fishing rights, negotiation of an agreement (EU), powers of the institutions (EU), protocol to an agreement, ratification of an agreement, sea fishing, sustainable fisheries

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 13.11.2023  SWD(2023) 350 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION  to the Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Cabo Verde Accompanying the document Recommendation for a   COUNCIL DECISION  authorising the opening of the negotiations on behalf of the European Union for the conclusion of an Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cabo Verde   {COM(2023) 697 final} - {SWD(2023) 349 final}  
 
 
Article  31(10)  of  the  Common  Fisheries  Policy  Regulation  calls  for  an  ex-post  and  ex-ante 
evaluation  to  be  carried  out  by  the  Commission  before  submitting  to  the  Council  a 
recommendation to authorise the opening of negotiations for a new protocol to a sustainable 
fisheries partnership agreement (SFPA)1. Ex-ante and ex-post valuation studies aim to inform 
decision  makers  before  the  Council  adopts  the  negotiation  guidelines.  The  obligation  to 
conduct an ex-ante and an ex-post evaluation is also enshrined in Article 34 of the Financial 
Regulation.2  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 Cabo Verde dates back to 1990. The current 
SFPA3, a five-year agreement renewable for additional periods of 5 years, entered into force 
on  19  December  2006.  Under  the  current  protocol  to  the  SFPA  (which  lasts  from  20  May 
2019  to  19  May  2024),  the  EU  fleet  is  allowed  to  fish  tuna  in  Cabo  Verde’s  waters  with  a 
reference  tonnage  of  8.000  tonnes  per  year.  Access  is  given  to  28  purse  seiners,  27  surface 
longliners and 14 pole-and-line vessels. In addition to the fees paid by the EU fleet, the EU 
pays  a  financial  contribution  of  EUR  400  000  per  year  for  access,  plus  an  annual  specific 
amount  of  EUR  350 000  to  help  support  and  implement  Cabo  Verde’s  sectoral  fisheries 
policy.   

In  accordance  with  the  ‘better  regulation’  guidelines,  this  staff  working  document  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 Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU 
and the Republic of Cabo Verde.  

The  evaluation  has  fully  addressed  the  questions  formulated  by  the  Commission  and  has 
provided  concrete,  reliable  and  credible  results.  Based  on  this  evaluation,  the  Commission 
has:  (i)  drawn  conclusions  based  on  objective  analysis;  and  (ii)  made  specific  and  relevant 
recommendations for future negotiations on a new protocol between the EU and Cabo Verde. 

Therefore,  out  of  all  the  options  considered,  the  renewal  of  the  Protocol  at  the  end  of  its 
implementation  period  (19  May  2024)  clearly  appears  as  the  preferred  option.  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, albeit with some adaptations aimed in particular at: (i) improving the implementing 
technical conditions of its access component; and (ii) improving synergies with both the blue 
economy  and  Cabo  Verde’s  own  commercial  development  policies.  On  the  EU  financial 
contribution  for  sectoral  support,  the  evaluation  recommends  reviewing  this  contribution  in 
line with the absorption and execution capacity of the responsible Ministry in the Cabo Verde 
government. 

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Doc. 7086/12 PECHE 66. 
Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy (OJ L354, 28.12.2013, p. 22) 
OJ L 414, 30.12.2006, p. 1–2 

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