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 point(a) of the second subparagraph of Article 218(6) 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 17 March 2008, the Council approved, by means of Regulation (EC) No 241/2008^f1, the conclusion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (‘the Agreement’).

The Union and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau have negotiated a new Protocol (‘the Protocol’) granting Union vessels fishing opportunities in waters in which the Republic of Guinea-Bissau exercises sovereignty or jurisdiction with regard to fishing.

The Protocol was signed on 24 November 2014 in accordance with Decision 2014/782/EU^f2, and has been applied provisionally from the date of its signature.

The 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.

The Protocol should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: