Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43, in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a) and Article 218(7) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

On 16 April 2007, the Council approved the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the Gabonese Republic and the European Community (the ‘Partnership Agreement’) by Regulation (EC) No 450/2007^f1.

The Union has negotiated a new protocol with the Gabonese Republic (the ‘New Protocol’) granting Union vessels fishing opportunities in waters in which the Gabonese Republic exercises its sovereignty or its jurisdiction as regards fishing.

The New Protocol was signed in accordance with Council Decision 2013/462/EU^f2, and is applied provisionally as from 24 July 2013^f3.

The New Protocol should therefore be approved.

The Partnership Agreement set up a Joint Committee which is responsible for monitoring the application of the Agreement. Furthermore, in accordance with the Protocol, the Joint Committee may approve certain modifications to the Protocol. In order to facilitate the approval of such modifications, it is appropriate to empower the Commission, subject to specific conditions, to approve them under a simplified procedure,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: