COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION to the Protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark, of the other part 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 Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark, of the other part
Date: 2024-05-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Denmark, Greenland, catch area, 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, 13.5.2024  SWD(2024) 129 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION  to the Protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark, of the other part 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 Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Government of Greenland and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark, of the other part    {COM(2024) 199 final} - {SWD(2024) 128 final}  
 
 
In  the  framework  of  the  external  dimension  of  the  EU's  Common  Fishery  Policy  (CFP)1,  the 
Commission  negotiates  and  implements  the  implementing  protocols  to  Sustainable  Fisheries 
Partnership  Agreements  (SFPAs)  with  third  countries.  The  SFPAs  create  a  legal,  environmental 
economic and social governance framework for fishing activities carried out by Union fishing vessels 
in third country waters. In exchange, the EU provides a partner country with financial compensation 
for access to its waters and financial assistance to implement a national strategy for fisheries and blue 
economy. The EU contribution is complemented by fees payable by EU vessel owners. 

According to Article 31(10) of the CFP Basic Regulation1, the European Commission shall arrange for 
independent  ex-ante  and  ex-post  evaluations  for  each  implementing  protocol  to  a  SFPA,  before  it 
submits  to  the  Council  of  the  EU  a  recommendation  to  authorise  the  opening  of  negotiations  for  a 
successor protocol.  

This  Staff  Working  Document  (SWD)  makes  an  ex-ante  and  an  ex-post  evaluation  covering  the 
application  of  the  current  implementing  Protocol  (hereinafter,  the  implementing  Protocol)  of  the 
Sustainable  Fisheries Partnership concluded between the EU and  Greenland Agreement (hereinafter, 
the  Agreement).  These  evaluations  are  primarily  informed  by  an  independent  evaluation  study 
conducted by an external consultant2. 

The ex-post evaluation covers most of the period of application of the current implementing Protocol 
of the Agreement, starting from the April 2021 to December 2023. It provides an overall assessment of 
the  implementing  Protocol,  drawing  conclusions  in  terms  of  its  effectiveness,  efficiency,  relevance, 
coherence,  acceptance,  EU  added  value  of  the  intervention.  The  detailed  evaluation  questions 
corresponding to these evaluation criteria can be found in Annex III and further addressed in section 4 
of the main SWD.  

The  ex-ante  evaluation  analyses  the  relevant  objectives  for  the  Agreement  and  its  implementing 
protocol, considering the current and future needs for this intervention. It considers the lessons learned 
from  previous  implementing  protocols  and  the  results  of  the  ex-post  evaluation  of  the  current 
implementing Protocol. Finally, it considers and draws conclusions on the possible impacts from the 
following three policy options: 

•  A renegotiation of the current implementing Protocol for the Agreement;   

•  No negotiation of a successor implementing protocol for the Agreement;  

•  A negotiation of an improved implementing protocol for the Agreement. 

The  ex-ante  evaluation  identifies  the  following  preferred  policy  option:  the  negotiation  of  a  new 
implementing protocol for the Agreement, with some adjustments. In terms of the access and technical 
component, these adjustments would aim ensure increased flexibility, a Protocol duration of 6 years, 
possible  carry  over  of  unused  fishing  opportunities  from  one  year  to  the  following  and  update 
reference  prices.  In  terms  of  the  sectoral  support  component  an  increase  of  the  funding  could  be 
considered in view of the high utilisation rate of the funds and its very positive impacts vis a vis the 
actions funded by the sectoral support programme in Greenland.   

1 Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy (OJ L354, 28.12.2013, p. 
22) 
2 Pending publication 

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