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), 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 consultant.
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.
