Council Regulation (EU) 2025/2257 of 29 September 2025 on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (2025–2029)
Date: 2025-09-29
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: France, Portugal, Spain, São Tomé and Príncipe, agreement (EU), catch area, fishing agreement, fishing rights, protocol to an agreement, sea fishing, ship's flag








L_202502257EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/2257


6.11.2025







            COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2025/2257
         
of 29 September 2025
         
on the allocation of fishing opportunities under the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (2025–2029)


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


On 23 July 2007, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 894/2007 on the conclusion of a Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (1) (the ‘Agreement’). The Agreement entered into force on 29 August 2011.












(2)


The previous protocol on the implementation of the Agreement expired on 18 December 2024.












(3)


On 10 September 2024, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (‘São Tomé and Príncipe’) for a new protocol on the implementation of the Agreement. The negotiations were successfully concluded by the initialling, on 9 April 2025, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (2025–2029) (the ‘Protocol’).












(4)


In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2025/2139 (2), the Protocol was signed on 6 October 2025, subject to its conclusion at a later date.












(5)


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












(6)


This Regulation should apply as soon as possible, in view of the economic importance of Union fishing activity in São Tomé and Príncipe’s fishing zone and the need to minimise the duration of any interruption of that activity.












(7)


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





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
The fishing opportunities established under the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (2025–2029) shall be allocated among the Member States as follows:






(a)


26 tuna seiners:






Spain:


15 vessels




France:


11 vessels;














(b)


9 surface longliners:






Spain:


7 vessels




Portugal:


2 vessels.










Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 6 October 2025.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 September 2025.


For the Council


The President

M. BØDSKOV
            





(1)  
            OJ L 205, 7.8.2007, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2007/894/oj.

(2)  Council Decision (EU) 2025/2139 of 30 September 2025 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe and the European Community (2025–2029) (OJ L, 2025/2139, 22.10.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2139/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/2257/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)