The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements of the European Union and the Objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy: Fisheries and/or Development?

The documents published by the European Commission within the framework of the latest Common Fisheries Policy reform include the “new” Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements. This paper will analyse whether their inclusion reinforces the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy by facilitating the development of a coherent and comprehensive external fishing policy, respectful with the international fisheries norms. In order to address it, we will examine, firstly, the European Union’s fisheries treaty practice and, secondly, the changes introduced by the new Agreements regarding this practice and their compliance with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy.