Ex-post evaluation of the implementing 2021 - 2026 Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) between Gabon and the EU and ex-ante evaluation of a potential future Protocol Gabon

DG MARE Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (European Commission) - Project Dates:
November 2024 - May 2025

Description of Project:
The overall aim of evaluation study was to ensure the quality and coherence of the EU decision-making. According to Article 34 of the current EU Financial Regulation, Commission Services have to undertake both ex-ante and retrospective evaluations for all programmes and activities which entail significant spending. Moreover, Article 31(10) of the current Common fisheries Policy (CFP) basic regulation requests that an ex-post and ex-ante evaluation be arranged by the Commission before the signature of a new protocol.

The purpose of this specific contract was to provide the European Commission (EC) with an independent ex-post evaluation of the 2021-2026 implementing Protocol to the 2007 Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) and an ex-ante evaluation of a potential new implementing protocol to a Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) updating the features of the 2007 FPA. The potential new protocol would cover a period after the current one will expire in June 2026.

This work was carried out by Poseidon Europe and F&S under the EC Framework Contract MARE/2021/OP/0001.

Services Provided:

The evaluation study aimed at supporting the assessment of the viability of the existing or potential future arrangements as required under the CFP. It provided the Commission with data and technical, economic and social analyses of the fisheries resources and related economic activities, including feedback on the performance of the current Protocol. The study allowed the Commission to assess the performance of the current implementing Protocol, get clarity on the future needs. It laid the ground for the Commission’s own evaluation report (the Staff Working Document) on the subject, and feed into the potential draft negotiating mandate for negotiations on a new implementing protocol under the FPA between the EU and Gabon.

The evaluation report is scheduled to be published by the EU on its Office of Publications - website here.

A Poseidon's Director led the evaluation in association with a F&S's Director.