Ex-post evaluation study of the Protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Cook Islands and ex-ante evaluation of a potential future protocol Cook Islands

DG MARE Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (European Commission) - Project Dates:
January 2024 - May 2024

Description of Project:
This evaluation was carried out by F&S in association with Poseidon (Europe) within the MARE/2021/OP/0001 multiple framework service contract in cascade for better regulation related activities on Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs).

According to Article 34 of the current EU Financial Regulation, the European Commission Services must undertake both ex-ante and retrospective evaluations for all programmes and activities which entail significant spending. 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 SFPA. This has been enshrined in Article 31(10) of the current CFP basic Regulation

TThe purpose of this specific contract was to provide the European Commission with an independent ex-post and ex-ante evaluation study of the current 2021-2024 implementing Protocol to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands (hereinafter 'Cook Islands').

Services Provided:

The evaluation team provided to the Commission a thorough evaluation of the implementation of the Protocol by producing an overall analysis of its features, content, implementation, results, and impacts, and giving a vision for its future and improvement.

The evaluation assessed the viability of the existing or potential future arrangements as required under the CFP. It provided the Commission with the data and technical, economic, and social analyses of the fisheries resources and related fishing and economic activities. This allowed the Commission to assess and provide the feedback of the evaluation of the performance of the implementing Protocol and decide on future needs.

This evaluation study also evaluated the features of a potential new Protocol and prepared possible negotiations between the Commission, on behalf of the EU, and Cook Islands. It provided information on the cooperation between the EU and Cook Islands on policies related to the Agreement too - for example, on the trade of fisheries and aquaculture products between the EU and Cook Islands or the EU development and cooperation policies and interests in Cook Islands related to fisheries, marine and maritime policies.

The Commission used this evaluation study as a tool for improving the quality and coherence of the decision-making, and as basis for the Commission’s evaluation report (Staff Working Document) on the subject too.

The report is published on the website of the Publications Office of the EU: link here.