Partnership Agreement

between the European Community and Solomon Islands on fishing off Solomon Islands

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as "the Community", and

THE GOVERNMENT OF SOLOMON ISLANDS, hereinafter referred to as "Solomon Islands",

Both collectively referred to as "the Parties",

CONSIDERING the close cooperation and cordial relations between the Community and Solomon Islands, particularly in the context of the Lomé and Cotonou Agreements, and their common desire to further maintain and develop these relations;

CONSIDERING the wish of Solomon Islands to promote the rational exploitation of its fishery resources by means of intensified cooperation;

RECALLING THAT, in respect in particular of sea fishing, Solomon Islands exercises its sovereignty or jurisdiction over a zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baselines of its coasts;

HAVING REGARD TO the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and to the United Nations Fish Stock Agreement;

AWARE OF the importance of the principles established by the Code of Conduct for responsible fisheries adopted at the FAO Conference in 1995;

AFFIRMING THAT the exercise of sovereign rights by coastal states in waters under their jurisdiction for the purpose of exploiting, conserving and managing living resources must be conducted in accordance with the principles and practices of international law and in due consideration to practices established at regional level;

DETERMINED TO cooperate, in their mutual interest, in promoting the enhancement of responsible fisheries to ensure the long term conservation and sustainable exploitation of living marine resources;

CONVINCED THAT such cooperation must take the form of initiatives and measures which, whether taken jointly or separately, are complementary, consistent with policy and ensure synergy of effort;

DECIDED, to these ends, to establish a dialogue with a view to defining a sectoral fisheries policy in Solomon Islands and identifying the appropriate means of ensuring that this policy is effectively implemented and that economic operators and civil society are involved in the process;

DESIDEROUS OF establishing terms and conditions governing the fishing activities of Community vessels in the Solomon Islands fishing zone and Community support for the enhancement of responsible fishing in that fishing zone;

RESOLVED to pursue closer economic cooperation in the fishing industry and related activities through the setting up and development of joint enterprises involving companies from both Parties,

HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Scope

This Agreement establishes the principles, rules and procedures governing:

- economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to enhancing responsible fishing in the Solomon Islands fishing zone to guarantee the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, and developing the Solomon Islands fisheries sector,

- the conditions governing access by Community fishing vessels to the Solomon Islands fishing zone,

- the arrangements for policing fisheries in the Solomon Islands fishing zone with a view to ensuring that the above rules and conditions are complied with,

- the measures for an effective conservation and management of fish stocks,

- the prevention of illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing,

- partnerships between companies aimed at developing economic activities in the fisheries sector and related activities, in the common interest.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of this Agreement:

(a) "Solomon Islands authorities" means the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Solomon Islands or the Permanent Secretary of Fisheries of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Solomon Islands;

(b) "Community authorities" means the European Commission;

(c) "Solomon Islands fishing zone" means the waters over which Solomon Islands has sovereignty or jurisdiction in respect of fisheries, identified by Solomon Islands national legislation as "Solomon Islands fishery limits";

(d) "Community vessel" means a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State and registered in the Community;

(e) "Joint enterprise" means a commercial company set up in Solomon Islands by vessel owners or national enterprises from the Parties in order to engage in fishing or related activities;

(f) "Joint Committee" means a committee made up of representatives of the Community and Solomon Islands whose functions are described in Article 9 of this Agreement;

(g) "fishing" means:

(i) searching for, catching, taking or harvesting fish;

(ii) attempting to search for, catch, take or harvest fish;

(iii) engaging in any other activity which can reasonable be expected to result in locating, catching, taking or harvesting fish;

(iv) placing, searching for or recovering fish aggregating devices or associated electronic equipment such as radio beacons;

(v) any operation at sea directly in support of or in preparation for any activity described in subparagraphs (i) to (iv);

(vi) use of any other vehicle, air or sea borned, for any activity described in subparagraphs (i) to (v) except for emergencies involving health and safety of the crew or the safety of a vessel;

(h) "fishing trip" means any vessel used or intended for use for the purpose of fishing, including support ships, carrier vessels, and any other vessels directly involved in such fishing operations;

(i) "operator" means any person who is in charge of, or is responsible for the operation of, or directs or controls a fishing vessel, including the owner, charterer or master;

(j) "transhipment" means the unloading of any or all of the fish on board a fishing vessel onto another fishing vessel either at sea or in port.

Article 3

Principles and objectives referred to the implementation of this Agreement

1. The Parties hereby undertake to promote responsible fishing in the Solomon Islands fishing zone based on the principle of non discrimination between the different fleets fishing in the zone, without prejudice to agreements concluded between developing countries within a geographical region, including reciprocal fisheries agreements.

2. The Parties shall cooperate with a view to defining and implementing a sectoral fisheries policy in the Solomon Islands fishing zone and shall to that end initiate a policy dialogue on the necessary reforms. They hereby undertake not to adopt measures in this area without first consulting each other.

3. The Parties shall also cooperate on carrying out ex ante, ongoing and ex post evaluations, both jointly and unilaterally, of measures, programmes and actions implemented on the basis of this Agreement.

4. The Parties hereby undertake to ensure that this Agreement is implemented in accordance with the principles of good economic and social governance.

5. The employment of Solomon Islands seamen on board Community vessels shall be governed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which shall apply as of right to the corresponding contracts and general terms of employment. This concerns in particular the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Article 4

Scientific cooperation

1. During the period covered by this Agreement, the Community and Solomon Islands shall monitor the state of resources in the Solomon Islands fishing zone; a joint scientific meeting shall be held when necessary to that end, alternately in the Community and in Solomon Islands.

2. Based on the conclusions of the scientific meeting and the best available scientific advice, the Parties shall consult each other within the Joint Committee provided for in Article 9 and, where necessary and by mutual agreement, take measures to ensure the sustainable management of fisheries resources.

3. The Parties shall consult each other, either directly or within the international organisations concerned, to ensure the management and conservation of living resources in the west and central Pacific, and to cooperate in the relevant scientific research.

Article 5

Access by Community vessels to fisheries in the Solomon Islands fishing zone

1. Solomon Islands hereby undertakes to authorise Community vessels to engage in fishing activities in its fishing zone in accordance with this Agreement, including the Protocol and Annex thereto.

2. The fishing activities governed by this Agreement shall be subject to the laws and regulations in Solomon Islands. Solomon Islands shall notify the Commission of any amendments to the said laws and regulations within six and one month respectively before they are applied.

3. Solomon Islands shall assume responsibility for the effective implementation of the fisheries monitoring provisions in the Protocol. Community vessels shall cooperate with the Solomon Islands authorities responsible for carrying out such monitoring. The steps taken by Solomon Islands to regulate fishing in the interest of the conservation of fishery resources shall be based on objective and scientific criteria. They shall apply without discrimination both to Community, Solomon Islands and foreign vessels, without prejudice to agreements concluded between developing countries within a single geographical region, including reciprocal fisheries agreements.

4. The Community shall take all the appropriate steps required to ensure that its vessels comply with this Agreement and the legislation and regulations governing fisheries in the Solomon Islands fishing zone.

Article 6

Licences

The procedure for obtaining a fishing licence for a vessel, the fees applicable and the method of payment to be used by shipowners shall be as set out in the Annex to the Protocol.

Article 7

Financial contribution

1. The Community shall grant Solomon Islands a single financial contribution in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down in the Protocol and Annexes. This single contribution shall be calculated on the basis of two related elements, namely:

(a) access by Community vessels to the Solomon Islands fishing zone, and

(b) the Community's financial support for enhancing responsible fishing and the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources in the Solomon Islands fishing zone.

The part of the financial contribution referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be determined and managed in the light of objectives identified by common accord between the Parties in accordance with the Protocol, to be achieved in the context of the sectoral fisheries policy in Solomon Islands and in accordance with an annual and multiannual programme for its implementation.

2. The financial contribution granted by the Community shall be paid each year in accordance with the Protocol and without prejudice to the provisions of this Agreement and its Protocol on any change of the amount of the contribution as a result of:

(a) serious circumstances, other than natural phenomena, preventing fishing activities in the Solomon Islands fishing zone (in accordance with Article 14 of the Agreement);

(b) a reduction in the fishing opportunities granted to Community vessels, made by mutual agreement between the Parties for the purposes of managing the stocks concerned, where this is considered necessary for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of resources on the basis of the best available scientific advice (in accordance with Article 4 of the Protocol);

(c) an increase in the fishing opportunities granted to Community vessels, made by mutual agreement between the Parties where the best available scientific advice concurs that the state of resources so permits (in accordance with Articles 1 and 4 of the Protocol);

(d) a reassessment of the terms of Community financial support for implementing a sectoral fisheries policy in Solomon Islands (in accordance with Article 5 of the Protocol), where this is warranted by the results of the annual and multiannual programming observed by both Parties;

(e) termination of this Agreement under Article 12;

(f) suspension of the implementation of this Agreement under Article 13.

Article 8

Promoting cooperation among economic operators and in civil society

1. The Parties shall encourage economic, commercial, scientific and technical cooperation in the fisheries sector and related sectors. They shall consult one another with a view to coordinating the different measures that might be taken to this end.

2. The Parties shall encourage exchanges of information on fishing techniques and gear, preservation methods and the industrial processing of fisheries products.

3. The Parties shall endeavour to create conditions favourable to the promotion of relations between enterprises from the Parties in the technical, economic and commercial spheres, by encouraging the establishment of an environment favourable to the development of business and investment.

4. The Parties shall encourage, in particular, the setting-up of joint enterprises in their mutual interest. The creation of joint enterprises in Solomon Islands and the transfer of Community vessels to joint enterprises shall systematically comply with Solomon Islands and Community legislation.

Article 9

Joint Committee

1. A Joint Committee shall be set up to monitor the implementation of this Agreement. The Joint Committee shall perform the following functions:

(a) monitoring the performance, interpretation and implementation of the Agreement and, in particular, the definition of the annual and multiannual programming referred to in Article 5(2) of the Protocol and evaluation of its implementation;

(b) providing the necessary liaison for matters of mutual interest relating to fisheries;

(c) acting as a forum for the amicable settlement of any disputes regarding the interpretation or implementation of the Agreement;

(d) reassessing, where necessary, the level of fishing opportunities and, consequently, of the financial contribution. Consultations shall be based on the principles set out under Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Protocol;

(e) any other function which the Parties decide on by mutual agreement.

2. The Joint Committee shall meet at least once a year, alternately in the Community and in Solomon Islands, and shall be chaired by the Party hosting the meeting. It shall hold a special meeting at the request of either of the Parties.

Article 10

Geographical area to which the Agreement applies

This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Community applies, under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other, to the territory of Solomon Islands.

Article 11

Duration

This Agreement shall apply for three years from the date of its entry into force; it shall be automatically renewable for additional periods of three years, unless notice of termination is given in accordance with Article 12.

Article 12

Termination

1. This Agreement may be terminated by either Party in the event of serious circumstances such as the degradation of the stocks concerned, the discovery of a reduced level of exploitation of the fishing opportunities granted to Community vessels, or failure to comply with undertakings made by the Parties with regard to combating illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing.

2. The Party concerned shall notify the other Party of its intention to withdraw from the Agreement in writing at least six months before the date of expiry of the initial period or each additional period.

3. Dispatch of the notification referred to in the previous paragraph shall open consultations by the Parties.

4. Payment of the financial contribution referred to in Article 7 for the year in which the termination takes effect shall be reduced proportionately and pro rata temporis.

5. Before the end of the period of validity of any Protocol to this Agreement, the parties shall hold negotiations to establish by agreement what amendments or additions to the Protocol and the Annex are required.

Article 13

Suspension and review of the payment of the financial contribution

1. Implementation of this Agreement may be suspended at the initiative of one of the Parties in the event of a serious disagreement as to the implementation of provisions laid down in the Agreement or its Protocol and Annex. Such suspension shall require the Party concerned to notify its intention in writing at least three months before the date on which suspension is due to take effect. On receipt of this notification, the Parties shall enter into consultations with a view to resolving their differences amicably.

2. Payment of the financial contribution referred to in Article 7 shall be reduced proportionately and pro rata temporis, according to the duration of the suspension.

Article 14

Suspension on grounds of force majeure

1. Where serious circumstances, other than natural phenomena, prevent fishing activities in the Solomon Islands exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the European Community may suspend payment of the financial contribution provided for in Article 2 of the Protocol, following consultations between the two parties where possible, and provided that the Community has paid in full any amounts due at the time of suspension.

2. Payment of the financial contribution shall resume as soon as the parties find, by mutual agreement following consultations, that the circumstances preventing fishing activities are no longer present and that the situation allows a resumption of fishing activities. This payment should be done within a time limit of two months upon confirmation from both parties.

3. The validity of the licences granted to Community vessels under Article 6 of the Agreement and 1 of the Protocol shall be extended by a period equal to the period during which fishing activities were suspended.

Article 15

The Protocol and the Annex shall form an integral part of this Agreement.

Article 16

This Agreement, drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, each of these texts being equally authentic, shall enter into force on the date on which the Parties notify each other that their adoption procedures have been completed.

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