Council Regulation (EU) 2025/2627 of 17 November 2025 on the allocation of the fishing opportunities provided for in the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands (2025-2032)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 28 February 2017, the Council adopted Decision (EU) 2017/418 (1) on the conclusion of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands (2) (the ‘Agreement’). The Agreement entered into force on 10 May 2017.

(2) The previous protocol on the implementation of the Agreement expired on 16 December 2024.

(3) On 23 September 2024, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Government of the Cook Islands for a new protocol on the implementation of the Agreement. The negotiations were successfully concluded by the initialling, on 20 June 2025, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands (2025-2032) (the ‘Protocol’).

(4) In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2025/2625 (3), the Protocol was signed on 9 December 2025, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

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

(6) Given the economic importance of Union fishing activities in the Cook Islands’ fishing zone and the need to minimise the time during which such activities are interrupted, this Regulation should enter into force as soon as possible.

(7) Article 13 of the Protocol provides for the provisional application of the Protocol from the date of its signature in order to allow fishing activities by Union vessels. This Regulation should therefore apply from that same date,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The fishing opportunities set out in the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands (2025-2032) shall be allocated among the Member States as follows:

Tuna purse seiners:

— Spain: 3 vessels

— France: 1 vessel.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 9 December 2025.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 17 November 2025.

For the Council The President J. JENSEN

(1) Council Decision (EU) 2017/418 of 28 February 2017 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands and the Implementation Protocol thereto (OJ L 64, 10.3.2017, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2017/418/oj).

(2) OJ L 131, 20.5.2016, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2016/776/oj.

(3) Council Decision (EU) 2025/2625 of 12 November 2025 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol on the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Cook Islands (2025-2032) (OJ L, 2025/2625, 23.12.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2625/oj).