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/EC2, the Union is a Contracting Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982. That convention 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/EC3, 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 1 December 2009 the Council authorised the European Commission to seek, on behalf of the Union, an amendment to the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (‘the Convention’) in order for the Union to become a Contracting Party.

While the negotiations on the amendment to the Convention have not been conclusive, during its 20th meeting in October 2013, the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (‘CCSBT’) amended the Resolution to establish an Extended Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (‘CCSBT Extended Commission’) to allow the Union to become a Member of the CCSBT Extended Commission through an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters.

On 20 April 2015 the Council authorised the signature and provisional application of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) concerning the membership of the Union in the Extended Commission of the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (‘Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters’).

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

Membership of the CCSBT Extended Commission will also promote consistency in the Union's conservation approach across oceans and reinforce its commitment to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources globally.

The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters should therefore be approved,