Plenary Session: Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Guinea-Bissau

Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and Guinea-Bissau (2019-2024) (A9-0012/2020 - João Ferreira)

In line with the Greens/EFA Group, I decided to abstain from voting on this agreement. The main reasons for this choice are the current political instability in Guinea-Bissau, as well as the lack of transparency regarding data on the global fishing effort in Guinea-Bissau waters.

This partnership provides for an annual financial contribution from the European Union of 15.6 million euros, of which 11.6 million for access to Guinea-Bissau waters and 4 million for local sectoral support. I believe that the compensation for access is disproportionately high. In addition, there are few concrete results on how the local population benefits from this agreement.

I voted in favour of the resolution that accompanies the agreement because it includes important demands and recommendations. The resolution stresses, inter alia, that the local fisheries sector has not developed sufficiently or satisfactorily. It also calls for more transparency in relation to sectoral support and highlights the need to protect and restore Guinea-Bissau's coastal and marine ecosystems.

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