Proposed FPA with the EU

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Proposed FPA with the EU

• ACP Meeting on Fisheries under EPA 22 - 24
  January 2007

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Current EU Fishing Agreements
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FSM
Kiribati
Solomon Islands
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Basis for a Multilateral

• Access in the region for EU fishing interests
• Enhanced conservation and management
  arrangements and
  
• Mutually beneficial fisheries development and
  investment opportunities that would include joint
  ventures and other initiatives to foster the
  long-term establishment of economically viable
  domestic industries.

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Overall objective of a MFPA

• To establish a partnership agreement between
  the EU and PACPS to manage the long-term
  sustainable harvest and utilisation of fishery
  resources from the EEZs of PACPS, to the mutual
  economic benefit of all parties, recognising the
  special biological, economic and social
  circumstances of individual Pacific ACP States
  and the region as a whole.

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FFC comments on a multilateral

• need to take account of existing bilateral
  arrangements
  
• importance of development assistance
• principle that no member should be worse off
• potential impact on status of stocks
• need to take account of the Vessel Days Scheme
• importance of domestic industry development for
  some members
  
• concerns that all FFA members should benefit from
  a m/lateral
  
• a possible head agreement with subsidiary
  bilateral agreements could be negotiated on
  issues such as access and fees and
  
• the need to adopt a cautious approach.

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Perspective of PACP States

• Interest in a multilateral unsure of extent of
  overall package of trade and other possible EPA
  benefits
  
• PNA states have generally favoured bilaterals,
  non PNA in favour, as a means of gaining benefits
  from a regional resource
  
• Three PNA States happy with current bilateral
  (12-18,but based on P/S _at_ 100 per tonne
  represents only 1-2 for l/line fish

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Major Outcomes
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3 (at least) forms of MFPA

• A Type 1 MFPA or head agreement featuring an
  overall agreement based on the objective and
  principles outlined above, but with each state
  continuing to negotiate access through separate
  agreements
• A Type 2 MFPA or EU Treaty agreement that would
  be similar to a US-treaty style agreement (but
  very different in content) and include
  provisions for access to the EEZs of all Parties
  
• A Type 3 MFPA agreement that would be a
  sub-regional form of a US-Treaty style agreement,
  such as a purse seine agreement with PNA
  countries, or an albacore agreement with
  countries in the southeast area of the Pacific
  Islands region.

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Elements of a multilateral FPA (1)

• Access
• Access payments
• Market access, including amendments to the rules
  of origin
  
• Fisheries Development funds
• Conservation and Management funds
• Controlling catch and effort
• Other management measures
• Vessel reporting, MCS etc

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Elements of a multilateral FPA (2)

• Economic cooperation includes JFVs
• Option of compulsory landings/use of facilities
• Technical assistance
• Capacity building
• Socio-economic impacts of fishing

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Possible EU Fishing Effort

• For the purse seine fishery a guaranteed minimum
  level level of effort in the fishery higher than
  that already obtained under existing bilateral
  arrangements
• For the longline fishery zero under access
  arrangements and must use charters or joint
  ventures

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Current Situation

• Legal Text finalised following a Meeting
  Fisheries and Trade Ministers in November to
  finalise the draft FPA in November
  
• Draft FPA to be formally proposed to the EU for a
  response