On the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries… Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community

General circumstances in Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire is an economically significant country in West Africa with a population of approximately 29 million. Despite periods of political instability, the country has experienced robust economic growth driven largely by agricultural exports. The fisheries sector, particularly in the port city of Abidjan, is vital for employment and nutritional security, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing substantially to the GDP of the country.

However, Côte d’Ivoire faces considerable challenges, including unsustainable fishing practices and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, notably by foreign vessels operating under flags of convenience. The previous EU–Côte d’Ivoire SFPA agreement highlighted critical issues: under-utilization of fishing licenses, inadequate oversight, in some cases poor working conditions for local crews and administrative delays in sectoral support implementation. Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding non-compliance with minimum wage standards for local crew members.

The new SFPA Protocol 2025-2029

The Protocol allocates an annual EU contribution of €740,000, comprising €305,000 for access rights and €435,000 for sectoral support. Additionally, operators will pay €80 per tonne of catch in the first two years, increasing to €85 per tonne in the final two years. The Protocol authorizes 25 tuna purse seiners and 7 surface longliners to fish within Côte d’Ivoire’s Exclusive Economic Zone, with an annual reference catch limit of 6,100 tonnes of tuna.

This Protocol aims at sustainability, ensuring responsible exploitation of tuna stocks in accordance with ICCAT regulations and regional fisheries management obligations.

Benefits to EU Fishers and Food Security

From the perspective of the EU, this agreement presents a strategically significant opportunity. It secures continued access to fishing areas for the EU fleet, predominantly benefiting Spanish, Portuguese and French operators. These fishing opportunities directly support the EU seafood supply chain, ensuring stability and continuity, which reinforces European food security.

From an economical point of view, this renewed Protocol signifies a balanced and mutually advantageous relationship fostering economic resilience both in Côte d’Ivoire and within the EU fishing sector. According to the European Commission, each euro from the EU budget invested in this agreement generates an added value of 7.56 euro.

Cooperation and EU Interests

Out of the €740,000 provided annually under the agreement, €435,000 is allocated as sectoral support, specifically earmarked for the development of Côte d’Ivoire’s fisheries infrastructure, governance capacities and scientific expertise. The sectoral support also targets improvements in scientific knowledge, management measures for small-scale fishing and aquaculture and community support through training.

Decisions on the precise allocation of these funds will be approved by a Joint Committee, ensuring transparency and alignment with strategic objectives. A portion of the funds is specifically dedicated to addressing IUU fishing, which contributes to establishing a level playing field for the EU fishers. Moreover, the Protocol promises job creation and improved economic opportunities for local communities through better fisheries management and enhanced infrastructure.

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

16.7.2025

for the Committee on Fisheries

on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community

(COM(2025)0076 – C100114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE))

Rapporteur for budgetary assessment: Giuseppe Lupo

The Committee on Budgets has carried out a budgetary assessment of the proposal under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and has reached the following conclusions:

The Committee on Budgets,

A.whereas the previous six-year Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement expired on 31 July 2024;

B.whereas the financial contribution to the new Protocol for the duration of its four-year period is EUR 2 960 000, based on:

(a)an annual amount of EUR 305 000 for access to the fisheries resources in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing zone, equivalent to a reference tonnage of 6 100 tonnes per year for highly migratory species, set at EUR 1 220 000 for the duration of the Protocol;

(b)support for the development of the sectoral fisheries policy of Côte d’Ivoire, amounting to EUR 435 000 per year, set at EUR 1 740 000 for the duration of the Protocol;

C.whereas the implementation of the Protocol requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below:

EUR million (to three decimal places);

D.whereas on 20 May 2025, Parliament is set to approve DEC 05/2025 submitted by the Commission on 8 April 2025, which will make available the necessary appropriations on operational line 08 05 01 to honour the 2025 financial obligations resulting from the new Protocol;

E.whereas the Protocol with Côte d’Ivoire is set to be signed and enter into provisional application once the appropriations are made available;

1.Notes that the support allocated to the Protocol should meet the objectives of enabling Union vessels to fish in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing zone, enabling the Union and Côte d’Ivoire to work closely together to further promote the development of a sustainable fisheries policy and the responsible exploitation of fishery resources in Côte d’Ivoire’s fishing zone, and ensuring that the Union and Côte d’Ivoire cooperate to contribute to decent working conditions in the fisheries sector; considers that there should be thorough scrutiny to ensure that the support meets those objectives effectively during the implementation of the Protocol;

2.Recommends that, for future agreements, an impact assessment of the added value and socio-economic benefits derived from the previous agreement be taken into account; considers that this assessment should guide the negotiation and renewal of subsequent agreements to ensure that they align with the objectives of sustainable development and efficient use of the Union’s financial resources;

3.Notes that the transfer of appropriations for an amount of EUR 740 000 in commitment and payment appropriations, as submitted by the Commission in DEC 05/2025, is set to be approved by the budgetary authority in the time limit provided for in the Financial Regulation; regrets that the decision on this budgetary matter is disconnected from, and has to be taken prior to, the decision on the consent to be given by Parliament to the new Protocol; underlines that decisions on the agreement itself and related budgetary matters are inextricably linked, and fears, therefore, that the disconnect risks de facto pre-empting the decision on consent and creating a fait accompli; strongly requests the Commission, therefore, to ensure that such a situation does not occur again in the future;

4.Calls on the Commission to explain the need for the provisional application of the Protocol in question;

5.Notes that the 2025 budget as voted on in plenary on 27 November 2024 includes amounts of EUR 150 560 000 in commitment appropriations and EUR 135 300 000 in payment appropriations on line 08 05 01, as well as amounts of EUR 59 970 000 in commitment appropriations and EUR 41 620 000 in payment appropriations for fishing activities on reserve line 30 02 02; regrets that the amounts are cumulative and not broken down by fisheries agreements, thus making it difficult for Parliament to scrutinise budget implementation in this field;

6.Stresses that the financial programming of line 08 05 01 needs to be sufficient to cater for the financial obligations in the years 2026-2027 subject to the decision of the budgetary authority in the annual budgetary procedures; calls for scrutiny regarding the financial programming of line 08 05 01 in the annual budgets of 2026 and 2027;

7.Concludes that the Committee on Budgets is in a position to advise the Committee on Fisheries, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol (2025–2029) on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community.

The rapporteur for budgetary assessment declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his budgetary assessment input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

for the Committee on Fisheries

on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the European Community (2025–2029)

(07374/2025 – C100114/2025 – 2025/0046(NLE))

Rapporteur for opinion: Tiago Moreira de Sá

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

2.9.2025