Talks to renew the Mauritania-EU fishing protocol remain stalled, La Voz de Galicia reported on October 13, with about 100 European vessels facing a possible stoppage when it expires on November 14. The Spanish newspaper described a closed-door briefing by European Commission representatives to the European Parliament's fisheries committee in Brussels on Monday.
The Commission lists the current protocol's term as November 15, 2021 to November 14, 2026, with an annual EU contribution of 60.8 million euros, including support for Mauritania's fishing sector. Its expiry is distinct from the underlying framework agreement's six-year, automatically renewable term.
In a joint statement on September 24, fishing employers' organisation Europêche and the European Transport Workers' Federation called for timely renewal or a one-year extension. They also sought temporary cessation aid for affected companies and workers should fishing stop. These are industry requests, not measures adopted under a new agreement.
