What changed

SUGGESTIONS

OPINION

The Committee on FisheriesForeign Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

1. Recalls the economic, social and environmental relevance of fisheries, aquaculture and maritime affairs; stresses the vital role of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) not only in ensuring food security and resilience of marine ecosystems and food systems but also in boosting the development of a sustainable blue economy and upholding the competitiveness of EU fisheries and aquaculture sectors;

A. whereas the growing instability and the rise of unprecedented challenges in the immediate European neighbourhood and the international environment increases the demands on the Union to act with a budget fit for that purpose and to significantly strengthen its security and defence capabilities;

2. Recalls the effects on the food supply chain, fuel costs and price volatility caused by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, as well as its impacts on EU fishing activities and the livelihoods of fishers, especially in the Black Sea;

B. whereas that sufficient funding is key to the EU’s credibility as a stronger, more assertive, and more strategic actor on the world stage;

3. Stresses that Russia’s military aggression has led to significant disruptions in trade flows and an increase in energy prices, which has hit small-scale fisheries particularly hard, requiring the use of European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) crisis measures to mitigate the effects of inflation for fishers, producers and consumers;

1. Calls to double the budget allocated to the development of capabilities under the Common Security and Defence Policy in order to ensure the safety of its citizens, and maintain stability both within Europe and globally;

4. Deplores the European Commission proposal (2024/0060(COD)) aimed at cutting the budget of the EMFAF by 105.000.000 EUR, which would severely impact the funding of scientific advice, data collection, fisheries control and the contributions to Advisory Councils and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations;

2. Points out that the unprecedented challenges in the global environment, along with the threats the EU is facing must be met by a substantial EU reaction, matched by appropriate and sufficient budgetary means for the EU to protect itself and the citizens and live up to the geopolitical challenges; welcomes the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) earlier this year which led to an increase in Heading 6; furthermore welcomes the adoption of two new instruments, namely the Ukraine Facility and the Western Balkans Facility, which will provide additional targeted support to Ukraine and the six Western Balkans countries;

5. Insists that special attention must be devoted to the fishing fleets in order to improve safety, on-board living conditions, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, including renewal of the fleet, with special attention to the small scale fishing fleet; reiterates that this can contribute to making the fishery sector more attractive for the younger generations and must not be confused with fleet expansion or increased fishing capacity or ability to catch fish;

3. Is particularly concerned about the approach taken in the MFF revision to only have a net increase of Heading 6 of EUR 3,1 billion whereas the other EUR 4,5 billion shall be covered through redeployments within this heading; is not convinced that these redeployments will actually materialise to that extent;

6. Urges the Commission to propose actions to increase the global share of sustainable EU aquaculture production, which contributes to the supply of aquatic protein of high quality and with a low carbon footprint; calls on the Member States and the Commission to make full use of the financial resources available for the EMFAF in order to sustainably boost the growth of this sector’s share of global aquaculture production above its current 2 % by means of specific, acceptable and shared targets for 2030;

4. Notes that the Commission presented a budget proposal of EUR 16 258 million, close to MFF ceiling in Heading 6 with a remaining available margin of EUR 44,8 million; notes furthermore that Council increased the budget for humanitarian aid by EUR 30 million, believes however that this amount will not be sufficient to be able to respond to emerging crises;

7. Recalls that, as a result of Brexit, the EU fishing sector is still experiencing considerable economic disruptions especially with regard to the unilateral institution of fishing restricted areas in UK waters; calls on the Commission, therefore, as a matter of priority, to secure commensurate compensation to offset the damage suffered by the sector and fishing communities;

5. Notes with concern the reductions for the Neighbourhood East in NDICI which is underfunded by EUR 150 million for the remainder of this MFF; considers it therefore necessary for the 2025 Union budget to increase this budget line by EUR 50 million;

8. Insists on the need to improve scientific and technical knowledge in order to ensure the development and use of the most reliable research-based solutions; reiterates the importance of guaranteeing sufficient financial resources for Member States’ and European scientific entities so that they can collect, manage, analyse, use and exchange fisheries sector data and invest in research on innovative, and more selective fishing techniques with technology-openness;

6. Believes that further targeted reinforcements are needed in areas such as the fight against disinformation, capacity development, enlargement, election observation, nuclear safety, support for civil society organisations, even if this will require the use of flexibility instruments;

9. Draws attention to the international dimension of the CFP and its economic, social and environmental benefits; calls on the Commission to devote adequate resources to ocean governance; stresses the importance of international cooperation, transparency, traceability and a level playing field for delivering on the EU’s commitments;

7. Recognises that is still necessary to increase the financial support of the EU to UNRWA in 2025, due to the agency’s critical financial situation that jeopardizes its ability to fulfil its important role effectively;

10. Pledges its support to the combat against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; calls therefore for adequate and increased funding for EU policies combating IUU fishing worldwide, including by strengthening checks on goods at EU borders, targeted development aid and by fostering cooperation with national navies;

8. Believes that the European External Action Service is structurally underfunded and should not be treated like the other institutions regarding the approach to the administrative budget; notes that the requirements for an institution with 145 diplomatic missions and offices around the world is fundamentally different to institutions operating at a single location;

11. Calls on the Commission to adequately fund measures aiming to effectively make the EU fleet less dependent on fossil fuel and more fuel efficient; further calls on the Commission to fund research on adapting zero-emission propulsion systems, such as e-fuels, wind propulsion and batteries, for use on fishing vessels and with different gear types;

9. Strongly believes that a considerable reinforcement of humanitarian aid, accompanied by clear objectives in terms of the rule of law and governance, is needed for the Union to be able to respond to emerging crises.

12. Underlines the role of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) in ensuring a level playing field for the EU fleet, and especially in discouraging and curbing IUU fishing in European waters and also at a global level; considers that the adoption of the new Control Regulation (EU 2023/2842) implies an important increase in EFCA’s tasks and responsibilities; recognises that the progressive implementation of the new control measures will need some activities in the form of pilot projects; calls on the Commission to provide adequate funds to EFCA to tackle the new tasks and activities, including participation to the tripartite working arrangement between the EFCA, the European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) considering EFCA’s contribution to the new EU Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS);

13. Stresses that generational renewal, including diversifying the profession, is one of the European fishing sector’s priorities; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to support the mobilisation of budgetary resources to help young people to take up careers in fisheries and the wider sustainable blue economy sector, to make the sector more diverse and to encourage people from underrepresented groups, particularly women, to join it; further invites the Commission to support the creation of an association of young European fishers;

14. Reiterates the need to provide substantial support for disadvantaged coastal areas and European outermost regions. Calls for the European Commission to allow financial support for fleet renewal in the European outermost regions by ending the ban on State aid for vessel replacements. Recalls that, contrary to the provisions of the EMFAF, this objective has not received any European funding in any region.