On 15 July 2019, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Republic of Seychelles (‘Seychelles’) with a view to concluding a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Seychelles (‘the Partnership Agreement’) and a new implementing protocol thereto (‘the Protocol’).

The negotiations were successfully concluded by the initialling of the Partnership Agreement and the Protocol on 22 October 2019.

The Partnership Agreement repeals the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Seychelles1, which entered into force on 2 November 2007 for a duration of six years and has been tacitly renewed and is therefore still in force.

The most recent protocol implementing the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Seychelles2 was signed on 18 December 2013 and was provisionally applied from 18 January 2014. It expired on 17 January 2020.

In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2020/2723, the Partnership Agreement and the Protocol were signed on 24 February 2020, subject to their conclusion at a later date.

The fishing opportunities provided for in the Protocol should be allocated among the Member States for the entire period of application of the Protocol.

The Partnership Agreement and the Protocol should enter into force as soon as possible in view of the economic importance of the Union fishing activities in the Seychelles fishing zone and the need to reduce the interruption of such activities as much as possible.

The Protocol will apply on a provisional basis as from the signature thereof in order to allow for the continuation of fishing activities of Union vessels. This Regulation should therefore apply from the same date,