30.4.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 111/1

(1)

The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) (the ‘Agreement’), was established and approved at the Fifth Session of the FAO Conference in 1949 and entered into force on 20 February 1952.

(2)

The European Community became a contracting party to the GFCM through the adoption of Decision 98/416/EC (1) by the Council.

(3)

As a consequence of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the European Union has replaced and succeeded the European Community.

(4)

On 15 November 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate, on behalf of the Union, amendments to the Agreement on matters falling within the Union's competence.

(5)

The Member States and the Commission conducted negotiations as per their respective areas of competence in accordance with the mandate and in close cooperation.

(6)

Negotiations were successfully concluded at the GFCM meeting of 19 to 24 May 2014. At that meeting, the GFCM endorsed the text of the amended Agreement.

(7)

The purpose of the amendments to the Agreement is to modernise the GFCM and reinforce its role in the conservation of fisheries resources in its area of competence.

(8)

The objectives, general principles and functions of the GFCM have been reviewed and broadened to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources and their environment.

(9)

The amended Agreement is in line with the principles of the Union's Common Fisheries Policy. It is therefore in the Union's interest to accept the amended Agreement,