Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community
Date: 2025-03-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Côte d'Ivoire, France, Portugal, Spain, agreement (EU), catch area, fishing agreement, fishing rights, protocol to an agreement, sea fishing, ship's flag

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.3.2025  COM(2025) 77 final 2025/0047 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal 

• 
On the basis of the relevant  negotiating directives1, the Commission  conducted  negotiations 
with  the  government  of  the  Republic  of  Côte  d’Ivoire  (‘Côte  d’Ivoire’)  with  a  view  to 
concluding,  on  behalf  of  the  European  Union,  a  new  Protocol  (2025–2029)  on  the 
implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire 
and  the  European  Community.  The  aim  is  to  allow  Union  vessels  to  access  Côte  d’Ivoire’s 
fishing zone and to fish for tuna and associated species there, under a management mandate of 
the  International  Commission  for  the  Conservation  of  Atlantic  Tunas  (ICCAT).  Following 
those  negotiations,  a  Protocol  was  initialled  by  the  negotiators  on  21 November  2024.  The 
new Protocol covers a period of four years from the date of provisional application laid down 
in Article 20 thereof, that date being the date on which it is signed by the Parties. 

The new Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories: 

- 

- 

25 tuna purse seiners; 

7 surface longliners; 

support  vessels  in  accordance  with  the  relevant  ICCAT  resolutions  and  within  the 

- 
limits set by Côte d’Ivoire’s legislation. 

The aim of this proposal is to distribute those fishing opportunities among the Member States. 

• 

Consistency with existing provisions in the policy area 

The main aim of the new Protocol is to provide an updated framework, namely by taking into 
account  the  priorities  of  the  reformed  common  fisheries  policy  and  its  external  dimension, 
with  a view to  continuing  and strengthening the  strategic partnership between the European 
Union and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire in the field of fisheries. 

The Protocol grants fishing opportunities to European Union vessels in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing 
zone  in  accordance  with  the  best  available  scientific  advice  and  the  resolutions  and 
recommendations  of  the  International  Commission  for  the  Conservation  of  Atlantic  Tunas 
(ICCAT), within the limits of the available surplus. The Commission has based its position in 
part  on  the  results  of  an  evaluation  of  the  previous  (2018–2024)  Protocol  and  an  ex  ante 
evaluation  of  whether  a  new  Protocol  should  be  concluded.  Those  evaluations  were  carried 
out by external experts. The aim is also to enhance cooperation between the European Union 
and  the  Republic  of  Côte  d’Ivoire  so  as  to  promote  a  sustainable  fisheries  policy  and  the 
responsible  exploitation  of  fishery  resources  in  Côte  d’Ivoire’s  fishing  zone  and  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  in  the  interests  of  the  Parties.  This  cooperation  will  also  help  to  promote 
decent working conditions for fishing activity. 

The new Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories: 

- 

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25 tuna purse seiners; 

Adopted during the 4008th Energy Council on 4 March 2024.  

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- 

7 surface longliners; 

support  vessels  in  accordance  with  the  relevant  ICCAT  resolutions  and  within  the 

- 
limits set by Côte d’Ivoire’s legislation. 

• 

Consistency with other Union policies 

The  negotiation  of  a  new  Protocol  on  the  implementation  of  the  Fisheries  Partnership 
Agreement  with  Côte  d’Ivoire  forms  part  of  the  Union’s  external  action  in  relation  to  the 
countries  of  the  Organisation  of  African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific  States  (OACPS)  and  takes 
into account, in particular, the Union’s objectives of sustainable economic growth, human and 
social development, combating climate change, sustainable management of natural resources 
and respecting democratic principles and human rights. 

2. 

• 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

The  legal  basis  is  Article 43(3)  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union, 
which establishes that the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, is to adopt measures 
on the allocation of fishing opportunities. 

• 

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence) 

The proposal falls under the exclusive competence of the European Union. 

• 

Proportionality 

The  proposal  is  proportionate  to  the  objective  of  establishing  a  legal,  environmental, 
economic and social governance framework for fishing activities carried out by Union vessels 
in  third-country  waters,  as  set  out  in  Article 31  of  the  Regulation  establishing  the  common 
fisheries policy2. It complies with those provisions and with those on financial assistance to 
third countries laid down in Article 32 of that Regulation. 

3. 

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EVALUATIONS, 

POST 

OF 

EX 

STAKEHOLDER 

In 2023, the Commission carried out an ex post evaluation of the 2018–2024 Protocol to the 
Fisheries Partnership Agreement  with  Côte d’Ivoire and an  ex ante evaluation  of a possible 
new  Protocol3.  The  conclusions  of  the  ex  post  and  ex  ante  evaluations  are  set  out  in  a 
Commission Staff Working Document (SWD)4. 

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Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on 
the  Common  Fisheries  Policy,  amending  Council  Regulations  (EC)  No 1954/2003  and  (EC) 
No 1224/2009  and  repealing  Council  Regulations  (EC)  No 2371/2002  and  (EC)  No 639/2004  and 
Council Decision 2004/585/EC. 
European Commission, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Caillart, B., Defaux, V. 
and  Guélé,  M.,  Évaluation  rétrospective  et  prospective  du  Protocole  2018–2024  à  l’accord  de 
partenariat dans le domaine de la pêche entre l’Union européenne et la République de Côte d’Ivoire – 
Rapport 
Union, 
2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2771/605016. 
Commission Staff Working Document, Evaluation Accompanying the document Recommendation for a 
COUNCIL DECISION authorising the opening of negotiations on behalf of the European Union for a 

Publications 

European 

Office 

final, 

the 

of 

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The evaluation concluded that the Union fishing sector has a strong interest in fishing in Côte 
d’Ivoire and that a new Protocol would be in the interest of both Parties. Furthermore, the new 
Protocol would help to strengthen monitoring, control and surveillance and would contribute 
to improved fisheries governance in the region. 

For the Union, it is important to maintain an instrument allowing close sectoral  cooperation 
with  a  country  which,  due  to  the  size  of  the  fishing  zone  under  its  jurisdiction,  is  a  major 
player in ocean governance at sub-regional level. Strengthening relations with Côte d’Ivoire 
will  also  enable  alliances  to  be  built  within  the  framework  of  ICCAT.  Furthermore,  for  the 
Union fleet, this means maintaining access to an important fishing zone for the deployment of 
harvesting  strategies  under  a  multiannual,  international  legal  framework.  Moreover,  the 
location,  facilities  and  services  of  the  port  of  Abidjan,  at  the  heart  of  a  busy  fishing  zone, 
make  it  a  logistical  hub  and  a  major  landing  and  transhipment  port,  which  adds  to  the 
relevance of the intended new Protocol, both for the Union fishing sector and for the partner 
country. For the Côte d’Ivoire authorities, the aim is to maintain relations with the Union in 
order  to  strengthen  ocean  governance,  benefit  from  dedicated  sectoral  support  that  provides 
for funding opportunities over several years and use the vessel activity to start industrialising 
the country’s processing sector, and so help diversify its economy. 

• 

Stakeholder consultations 

Member States, industry representatives and international civil society organisations, as well 
as Côte d’Ivoire’s fisheries administration and civil society representatives, were consulted as 
part of the evaluation. Consultations also took place in the framework of the Long Distance 
Fleet Advisory Council. 

• 

Collection and use of expertise 

The Commission used an independent  consultant for the  ex post  and  ex ante evaluations,  in 
accordance with Article 31(10) of the Regulation establishing the common fisheries policy. 

• 

Impact assessment 

Not applicable 

• 

Regulatory fitness and simplification 

Not applicable 

• 

Fundamental rights 

The  negotiated  Agreement  includes  a  clause  on  the  consequences  of  violating  the  essential 
elements laid down in Article 9 of the Samoa Agreement5 with regard to human rights. 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

The draft regulation does not affect the Union budget. 

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new Implementing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52024SC0022.  
Partnership  Agreement  between  the  European  Union  and  its  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the 
Members  of  the  Organisation  of  African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific  States,  of  the  other  part,  OJ  L, 
2023/2862, 28.12.2023, http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2023/2862/oj. 

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5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

This  procedure  is  being  initiated  in  parallel  with  the  procedures  relating  to  the  Council 
Decision on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol 
on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte 
d’Ivoire  and the European Community, and to  the Council Decision on  its conclusion. This 
Regulation shall apply once fishing activities become possible, i.e. on the date of provisional 
application of the Protocol.  

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2025/0047 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol (2025–2029) on the 
implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte 
d’Ivoire and the European Community 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 43(3) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

On  17 March  2008,  the  Council  adopted  Regulation  (EC)  No 242/20081  on  the 
conclusion  of  the  Fisheries  Partnership  Agreement  between  the  Republic  of  Côte 
d’Ivoire  and  the  European  Community2  (‘the  Agreement’).  The  Agreement  entered 
into force on 18 April 2008. 

The  previous  Protocol  on  the  implementation  of  the  Agreement  expired  on  31 July 
2024. 

The Commission has negotiated, on behalf of the European Union, a new Protocol on 
the  implementation  of  the  Fisheries  Partnership  Agreement  between  the  Republic  of 
Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community for a period of four years (‘the Protocol’). 

Following those negotiations, the Protocol was initialled on 21 November 2024. 
On  [...],  the  Council  adopted  Decision  (EU) [...]3  on  the  signing  and  provisional 
application of the new Protocol, subject to its conclusion at a later date.  

The fishing opportunities provided for in the Protocol should be allocated among the 
Member States for the entire period of its application. 

This Regulation should apply as soon as possible in view of the economic importance 
of  Union  fishing  activity  in  Côte  d’Ivoire’s  fishing  zone  and  the  need  minimise  the 
duration of any interruption of that activity. 

The Protocol will apply provisionally as from the date of its signature in order to allow 
fishing  activity  by  Union  vessels.  This  Regulation  should  therefore  apply  from  the 
same date, 

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3 

OL L 75, 18.3.2008, p. 51, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/242/oj. 
OL L 48, 22.2.2008, p. 41, http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2008/147(1)/oj. 
[reference and OJ to be included]. 

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HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

The  fishing  opportunities  established  under  the  Protocol  (2025–2029)  shall  be  allocated 
among the Member States as follows: 

(a) 

25 tuna seiners: 

Spain: 

France: 

[14]  vessels 

[11]  vessels 

(b) 

7 surface longliners: 

Spain: 

Portugal: 

[5] 

[2] 

vessels 

vessels 

Article 2 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

It shall apply from the date of provisional application of the Protocol.  

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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