2000/814/EC: Council Decision of 14 December 2000 on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the provisional application of the Protocol establishing, for the period 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, the fishing rights and financial compensation provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea on fishing off the coast of Equatorial Guinea

Council Decision
of 14 December 2000
on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the provisional application of the Protocol establishing, for the period 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, the fishing rights and financial compensation provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea on fishing off the coast of Equatorial Guinea
(2000/814/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 300(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) Pursuant to the Agreement between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea on fishing off the coast of Equatorial Guinea(1), the two Parties conducted negotiations with a view to extending for one year the Protocol annexed to this Decision, which expired on 30 June 2000.
(2) As a result of those negotiations, a new Protocol was initialled on 16 June 2000.
(3) The Protocol provides Community fishermen with fishing opportunities from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 in waters over which the Republic of Equatorial Guinea has sovereignty or jurisdiction.
(4) In order to avoid any longer interruption in the fishing activities of Community vessels, it is essential that the new Protocol be applied as soon as possible. For this reason, the two Parties have initialled an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters providing for the provisional application of the initialled Protocol from 1 July 2000. That Agreement should be approved, pending a final decision to be taken on the basis of Article 37 of the Treaty,