On the draft Council decision conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Implementing Protocol (2024-2029) to the Fisheries… Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

The Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau has 1.8 million inhabitants from 11 ethnic groups. Half of the population lives in urban areas. This figure is expected to rise. Approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. The country has both a high fertility rate and a high infant mortality rate (54.8 deaths per thousand births). More than 40% of the population is illiterate. Since the signing of the previous protocol the country has dropped 2 places and is ranked 179th out of 193 in the United Nations Human Development Index (UNDP, 2021).

Domestic natural resources have always been the mainstay of Guinea-Bissau’s economy. The contribution of agriculture to national GDP and to exports stands at 56% and 90%, respectively, and is based around a single crop – cashew nuts. One of the main challenges facing the country is to diversify production.

Almost a third of public revenue came from international donors, with a third of this amount coming from the EU. The funding provided through the Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA, in its most recent version) between the EU and Guinea-Bissau as compensation for access to resources make a significant contribution to the country’s national public finances.

Guinea-Bissau’s broad continental shelf, fed by rivers, and the seasonal upwelling of ocean currents help to ensure rich stocks of both coastal and oceanic fish species.The main stocks of commercial value include demersal species, small pelagic species, large migratory pelagic species, crustaceans (shrimp, including deep-water shrimp) and cephalopods (squid and octopus).

Artisanal fishing, including subsistence fishing, provides a livelihood for several thousand fishermen and their families, some of whom come from neighbouring countries (the numbers vary according to different estimates).

Trade in fisheries products with the EU has been impeded owing to the country’s inability to comply with EU health standards, despite its best efforts. It is hoped that the strengthening of Guinea-Bissau’s capacities in this field, thanks to the creation and – following a long process – accreditation of a quality control and analysis laboratory (in July 2014 and develpment ongoing), can help to change the situation.

EU-Guinea-Bissau Fisheries Agreement

The first fisheries agreement concluded between the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and the European Community dates back to 1980. Fleets from EEC/EU Member States have had access to fishing opportunities in Guinea-Bissau waters since that time. In 2007, both parties signed the Fisheries Partnership Agreement. Since then, successive protocols implementing the Agreement have been tacitly renewed and/or negotiated. The Agreement was suspended at the EU’s initiative between April 2012 and October 2014, following a military coup. More recently, talks on the Protocol highlighted the need for a review of the financial contributions provided in exchange for fishing opportunities for EU fleets under the Protocol.

The current Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029) was applied provisionally from the date of signature, i.e. 18 September 2024. This fisheries agreement allows vessels from a number of EU Member States to fish in Guinea-Bissau waters.

The Protocol provides for fishing opportunities in the following categories: freezer shrimp trawlers; freezer fin-fish and cephalopod trawlers; small pelagic trawlers; tuna freezer vessels and longliners; pool-and-line tuna vessels:

The Agreement is multi-species and covers tuna, cephalopods, shrimps and demersal species. The Agreement is part of a network of tuna agreements in West Africa and is one of only three multi-species agreements in the region (the others being with Morocco and with Mauritania).

The fishing opportunities provided for in the Agreement are based on the best scientific advice available and on the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

The EU contribution to this new protocol is estimated at €85 million over the 5 years, consisting of €17 million per year, of which €4.5 million will be dedicated to promoting Guinea-Bissau’s sustainable fisheries management, control and surveillance capacities, and supporting local fishing communities.

In addition to the EU contribution, shipowners will pay licence and capture fees to the Guinea-Bissau administration to be authorised to fish. The combination of the EU’s contribution and fees paid by EU operators puts the total estimated financial envelope beyond €100 million over the 5 year period.

The rapporteur hopes that the new protocol will enable the EU and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to work more closely in order to promote the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources in Guinea-Bissau waters and to support the country’s efforts to develop the national fisheries sector and related areas.

Recent investment by the African Development Bank and other investors (e.g. China) in infrastructure, as well as a fishing port for artisanal fishing (landing and processing) in Alto Bandim, represent an opportunity for the country, but are insufficient to meet needs. Developing infrastructure for landing, storing and processing fish for use by industrial fleets operating in Guinea-Bissau waters would be of particular importance, not only for operational purposes, but also for the development of the country’s fisheries sector, and would allow for the creation of markets, distribution and marketing structures as well as laboratories for quality analysis.

The rapporteur is of the opinion that the Agreement should help to make the country more self-sufficient, to sustain its development strategy and to guarantee its sovereignty.

He therefore recommends that Parliament approve the conclusion of this SFPA and its Protocol, given its importance for both the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and the EU fleets already operating in that country’s waters.

In view of Parliament’s role and powers in this area, he considers it appropriate and necessary to adopt a non-legislative resolution on this agreement, setting out considerations and recommendations that the Commission should take into account while the current Protocol is in force (which, regrettably, it has not always done in the past).

The rapporteur wishes to highlight the following issues, in addition to those mentioned above, as requiring particular attention.

The Agreement must promote genuine sustainable development in the Guinean fisheries sector and related industries and activities, increasing the added value that stays in the country as a result of the exploitation of its natural resources.

Finally, the rapporteur stresses that the European Parliament should, at each stage, be fully and promptly informed of the procedures related to the Protocol, its renewal and its implementation, as detailed in the non-legislative resolution accompanying this recommendation.

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he has received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.