Council Decision (EU) 2025/961 of 12 May 2025 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029)
Date: 2025-05-12
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Guinea-Bissau, agreement (EU), catch quota, fishing agreement, fishing area, fishing rights, protocol to an agreement, ratification of an agreement, sea fishing, sustainable fisheries








L_202500961EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/961


21.5.2025







            COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/961
         
of 12 May 2025
         
on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029)


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(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,


Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament (1),

Whereas:







(1)


In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2024/2588 (2), the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029) (‘the Protocol’) was signed on 18 September 2024, subject to its conclusion at a later date.












(2)


The objectives of the Protocol are to enable Union vessels to fish in Guinea-Bissau’s fishing zone and to enable the Union and Guinea-Bissau to work closely together to further promote the development of a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in Guinea-Bissau’s fishing zone. That cooperation will also contribute to decent working conditions in the fisheries sector.












(3)


The Protocol should be approved on behalf of the Union.












(4)


In accordance with the Treaties, the Commission should give the notification provided for in Article 20 of the Protocol.












(5)


Article 10 of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (3) (‘the Agreement’) establishes a Joint Committee responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement and the Protocol. That committee has the power to approve certain amendments to the Protocol. In order to facilitate the approval of such amendments, the Commission should be empowered, subject to substantive and procedural conditions, to approve them on behalf of the Union under a simplified procedure.












(6)


The Union’s position on proposed amendments to the Protocol should be established by the Council. The proposed amendments should be approved unless a blocking minority of Member States, in accordance with Article 16(4) of the Treaty on European Union, objects to them.












(7)


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 an opinion on 27 August 2024,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029) (‘the Protocol’) is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.


Article 2
The Commission shall, on behalf of the Union, give the notification provided for in Article 20 of the Protocol, in order to express the consent of the Union to be bound by the Protocol (5).


Article 3
In accordance with the provisions and conditions laid down in the Annex to this Decision, the Commission is authorised to approve, on behalf of the Union, amendments to the Protocol adopted by the Joint Committee established under Article 10 of the Agreement.


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




Done at Brussels, 12 May 2025.


For the Council


The President

B. NOWACKA
            





(1)  Consent of 2 April 2025 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2)  Council Decision (EU) 2024/2588 of 10 September 2024 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029) (OJ L, 2024/2588, 3.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/2588/oj).

(3)  
            OJ L 342, 27.12.2007, 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)  The date of entry into force of the Protocol will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.




ANNEX
PROCEDURE FOR THE APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE PROTOCOL TO BE ADOPTED BY THE JOINT COMMITTEE
Where the Joint Committee is asked to adopt amendments to the Protocol under Article 10 of the Agreement and Article 16 of the Protocol, the Commission is authorised to approve the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, under the following conditions:






(1)


The Commission shall ensure that the approval on behalf of the Union:






(a)


is in accordance with the objectives of the common fisheries policy;










(b)


is consistent with the relevant rules adopted by regional fisheries management organisations and takes account of joint management by coastal states;










(c)


takes account of the most recent statistical, biological and other relevant information sent to the Commission.














(2)


Before approving the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, the Commission shall submit them to the Council in sufficient time before the relevant Joint Committee meeting.










(3)


The Council shall assess whether the proposed amendments comply with the criteria laid down in point 1.










(4)


Unless a number of Member States equivalent to a blocking minority in the Council, in accordance with Article 16(4) of the Treaty on European Union, object to the proposed amendments, the Commission shall approve them on behalf of the Union. If there is such a blocking minority, the Commission shall reject the proposed amendments on behalf of the Union.










(5)


If, in the course of subsequent meetings of the Joint Committee, including on-the-spot meetings, it is impossible to reach an agreement, the matter shall be referred back to the Council, in accordance with the procedure set out in points 2, 3 and 4, in order for the Union position to take account of new factors.










(6)


The Commission is invited to take, in due time, any steps necessary to follow up on the decision of the Joint Committee, including, where appropriate, publishing the relevant decision in the Official Journal of the European Union and submitting any proposal necessary for the implementation of that decision.




As regards other matters which do not concern amendments to the Protocol, in accordance with Article 10 of the Agreement and Article 16 of the Protocol, the position to be adopted by the Union within the Joint Committee shall be determined in accordance with the Treaties and established working practices.



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/961/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)