The Contracting Parties,

Considering that EUROFISH was established with the assistance of FAO as an independent international organisation by an agreement, adopted by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries convened by the Director-General of FAO on 23 May 2000, which entered into force on 12 October 2001, and for which the Director-General of FAO is the Depositary;

Considering that Article 13, paragraph 1 of the Agreement for the Establishment of the International Organisation for the Development of Fisheries in Eastern and Central Europe (EUROFISH) provides that “there should be a working relationship between EUROFISH and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. To this end, EUROFISH shall enter into negotiations with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with a view to concluding an agreement pursuant to Article XIII of the Constitution of the Organization. Such agreement should provide, inter alia, for the Director-General of FAO to appoint a Representative who would participate in all meetings of EUROFISH, but without the right to vote”;

Considering also that the Governing Council of EUROFISH, at its First Regular Session, on 20 and 21 January 2002, decided that EUROFISH would enter into negotiations with FAO with a view to formalizing the cooperation between the two organizations;

Considering further that Article XIII, paragraph 1 of the FAO Constitution states that “in order to provide for close cooperation between the Organization and other international organizations with related responsibilities, the Conference may enter into agreements with the competent authorities of such organizations, defining the distribution of responsibilities and methods of cooperation”;

Recognizing the interest which FAO has in the promotion of cooperation for the development of fisheries in Eastern and Central Europe and in supporting the objectives of EUROFISH.

Have agreed as follows:

1. An ongoing cooperation shall be established and maintained between EUROFISH and FAO.
2. FAO shall participate in meetings of the Governing Council of EUROFISH, as well as in other technical meetings of EUROFISH, as an observer.
3. EUROFISH shall be invited to participate in the sessions of the Conference and the Council of FAO, the Committee on Fisheries (COFI), the COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture, the COFI Sub-Committee on Trade, the FAO Regional Conference for Europe and the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission, in an observer capacity.
4. FAO staff members will continue to assist EUROFISH as technical advisers.
5. V. FAO shall, as far as possible, and in conformity with the constitutional instruments and decisions of its competent bodies, give due consideration to requests for additional technical assistance made by EUROFISH.
6. As far as possible, FAO will use EUROFISH as an executing agency for projects on fishery marketing in Eastern and Central Europe. As appropriate, FAO will give due consideration to using EUROFISH to execute activities within the mandate of both organizations.
7. EUROFISH and FAO may, in appropriate cases, agree to convene under their auspices, according to arrangements to be made in each particular case, joint meetings concerning matters of interest to both organizations. In addition, EUROFISH and FAO may, when they consider it desirable, set up joint committees or working parties, on conditions to be mutually agreed in each case, to consider matters of common interest.
8. EUROFISH and FAO may, through special arrangements, decide upon joint action with a view to attaining objects of common interest.
9. Subject to such arrangements as may be necessary for the safeguarding of classified material, EUROFISH and FAO shall arrange for the fullest exchange of information and documents concerning matters of common interest.
10. The Fishery Industries Division and GLOBEFISH at FAO Headquarters in Rome will serve as focal point for liaison between EUROFISH and FAO.
11. The Contracting Parties may decide by mutual agreement to extend the scope of their cooperation as appropriate.

Entry into force

The present Agreement shall enter into force as soon as it has been approved by the appropriate Governing Bodies of both organizations.