New five-year EU-Greenland fisheries agreement
Under a new five-year-deal to be approved in plenary on Tuesday, EU vessels targeting mainly prawn, halibut, cod and redfish would be allowed to continue to fish in the waters of the Greenlandic Exclusive Economic Zone. In return, the EU would pay Greenland a financial contribution of €17.8 million per year. This Protocol follows the expiry of the 2013-2015 Protocol.
The Fishing Partnership Agreement (FPA) is a "mixed agreement", which permits the EU vessels to fish for a wide range of species. The first fisheries agreement between the EU and Greenland was concluded in 1985 for an initial period of ten years and thereafter extended for additional six-year periods until it was replaced by the FPAs. The first fisheries agreement was implemented by successive protocols.
Background
Greenland joined the European Communities (EC) as a part of Denmark in 1973, but left the EC following a referendum in 1985. Today, Greenland is one of the overseas countries and territories (OCT) of the Union. In 1979 Denmark granted ‘Home Rule’ to Greenland, and following a referendum in 2008 all functions of government rest with the Government of Greenland except for those related to defence, fisheries inspection outside the territorial waters, constitutional affairs, currency and monetary policy, which are retained by Denmark.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture (MFHA) has overall responsibility for fisheries policy and the management of fish resources in Greenland.
Fish account for nearly 90 % of exported goods. Virtually all of Greenland’s exports of fish products are destined for the EU, with Denmark accounting for more than 90 % of EU imports.
Procedure: Consent
Vote: Tuesday, 12 April
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