The Union is competent to adopt measures for the conservation of marine biological resources under the common fisheries policy and to enter into agreements with third countries and international organisations.

Pursuant to Council Decision 98/392/EC1, the Union is a Contracting Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, which requires all members of the international community to cooperate in conserving and managing the biological resources of the sea.

Pursuant to Council Decision 98/414/EC2, the Union is a Contracting Party to the Agreement on the implementation of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

On 17 April 2007 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate, on behalf of the Community, a Convention on a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) in the South Pacific for fishery resources not yet covered by an existing RFMO.

The negotiations were successfully concluded in Auckland, New Zealand, on 14 November 2009 by the adoption of a draft text of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific Ocean (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Convention’), which, under its Article 36(1), is open for signature for a period of 12 months from 1 February 2010.

The objective of the Convention is to ensure, through its effective implementation, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the Convention area.

Since vessels flying the flags of Member States of the Union fish resources in the Convention area, it is in the Union's interest to play an effective role in the implementation of the Convention.

The Convention should be signed,