Prospective evaluation (ex-ante) of a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) between the EU and the Republic of Guinea Guinea

DG MARE Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (European Commission) - Project Dates:
February 2020 - September 2020

Description of Project:
According to Article 34 of the EU Financial Regulation, European Commission Services have to undertake an ex-ante evaluation for all proposals for programmes and activities occasioning budget expenditure.

The Council Conclusions on the External Dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) adopted on 19 March 2012 request that an ex-post and ex-ante evaluation be undertaken by the Commission before the signature of a new protocol. This has been enshrined in Article 31 §10 of the current CFP basic regulation2.

The purpose of this specific contract was to provide the European Commission assistance in carrying out an ex-ante evaluation for a new Sustainable Partnership Agreement (SFPA) with the Republic of Guinea (hereinafter ‘Guinea’) including a new framework agreement and implementing protocol hereto, as there are currently none in force.

The evaluation study provided the Commission with the data and technical analysis of the fisheries resource and related fishing and economic activities to decide on the opportunity to engage in the renewal of the Agreement and its implementing protocol and prepare possible negotiations between the EU and the partner country.

Services Provided:

Within the Framework contract for Better Regulation related activities on the international dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy for the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries - MARE/2015/23, Poseidon was contracted by DG MARE (the European Commission) to carry out the evaluation within a consortium led by F&S and including MegaPesca.

Poseidon assessed the feasibility of a multi-species agreement vs. a tuna agreement based on the findings of the evaluation such as: status of the stock, potential limitations imposed by Guinean government on fishing species different to tuna and tuna-like species for food security reasons, protection of local employment, sustainability of the resources, etc.

Due to the political situation in Guinea and the COVID pandemic, the assignment was carried out remotely with stakeholders consultations based on the Commission's Better Regulation Guidelines and the accompanying 'Toolbox'.

The final report, written in French with its executive summary in French, English and Spanish, is available through this link on the EU Office of Publications.