(1)

The Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Mauritius (1) (the ‘Agreement’) was concluded by Council Decision 2014/146/EU (2) and entered into force on 28 January 2014.

(2)

The first protocol (3) to the Agreement set out, for a period of three years, the fishing opportunities granted to Union vessels in Mauritius waters and the financial contribution granted by the Union. The period of application of that protocol expired on 27 January 2017.

(3)

The second protocol (4) to the Agreement set out, for a period of four years, the fishing opportunities granted to Union vessels in Mauritius waters and the financial contribution granted by the Union. The period of application of that protocol expired on 7 December 2021.

(4)

An agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the Union and Mauritius (5) extended the application of the second protocol to the Agreement until 4 October 2022.

(5)

On 28 September 2021, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Mauritius for the conclusion of a new protocol implementing the Agreement.

(6)

Those negotiations were sucessfully concluded and a new protocol implementing the Agreement (the ‘Protocol’) for a period of four years was initialled on 7 May 2022.

(7)

The objective of the Protocol is to implement the Agreement so as to enable the Union and Mauritius to work more closely on promoting cooperation in the fields of ocean economy, aquaculture, sustainable development of the oceans, maritime spatial planning, marine energy and marine environment, development of maritime policy and the blue economy, while contributing to decent working conditions in the fisheries sector.

(8)

Therefore, the Protocol should be signed on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

(9)

In view of the economic importance of Union fishing activities in the Mauritius fishing zone and the need to reduce as much as possible the interruption of such activities, the Protocol should be implemented as soon as possible.

(10)

The Protocol should therefore be applied on a provisional basis as from the date of its signature pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force, and this Decision should enter into force upon its adoption.

(11)

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 (6) and delivered an opinion on 24 October 2022,