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BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT (COM(2025)0559 – C100171/2025 – 2025/0235(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation establishing the conditions for the implementation of the Union support to the Common Fisheries Policy, to the European Ocean Pact and of the Union’s maritime and aquaculture policy as part of the National and Regional Partnership Fund set out in Regulation (EU) […] [NRP Fund] for the period from 2028 to 2034

BUDG-AD-786808

Committee on Budgets · Rapporteur: Ruggero Razza

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The Committee on Budgets gives its budgetary assessment of the proposed regulation on Union support to the Common Fisheries Policy, the European Ocean Pact and maritime and aquaculture policy under the National and Regional Partnership Fund for 2028 to 2034. It criticises the proposed fisheries envelope of EUR 2.00 billion, compared with EUR 6.1 billion for the current fund, and says the amounts would not meet the policy's objectives or give the sector a stable framework. It asks for the envelope to be raised to EUR 7.29 billion in current prices, with additional Heading 3 financing of EUR 1.69 billion. It calls for consistent rules across the fund, sufficient staff and administrative resources, a detailed budget nomenclature separating fisheries from other spending, and simpler procedures for beneficiaries.

Committee position. The Committee on Budgets finds the proposed fisheries amounts insufficient and asks for the envelope to rise from EUR 2 billion to EUR 7.29 billion, plus EUR 1.69 billion under Heading 3, with consistent rules, adequate resources, a detailed nomenclature and simpler procedures.

Key points

  1. The Commission proposed to discontinue the dedicated European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and integrate its expenditure into the National and Regional Partnership Fund, with fisheries provisions merged with agricultural policy.
  2. The ringfenced fisheries envelope is set at EUR 2.00 billion, which may be topped up within national plans, compared with EUR 6.1 billion for the current fund.
  3. Fisheries and aquaculture matter for the cohesion of coastal, island and outermost regions, which face permanent geographical and structural constraints and depend heavily on the blue economy.
  4. Eligible fisheries measures are spread across Heading 1 for national plans, Heading 2 for directly managed actions and Heading 3 for external spending, and member states can top up funding through their plans.
  5. The committee says the amounts are insufficient to attain the policy's objectives or give the sector a stable framework for investment, innovation, fleet modernisation and generational renewal, and that financing should stay identifiable and predictable.
  6. It asks for the programme envelope to be increased from EUR 2 billion to EUR 7.29 billion in current prices to support food security, competitiveness and ocean sustainability.
  7. It calls for avoiding fragmentation and keeping consistent overarching rules across the policies covered by the fund.
  8. It wants sufficient human, technical and IT resources for the Commission and member states throughout 2028-2034, including administrative, scientific, control and audit capacity, with staff appropriations realigned to modified operational allocations.
  9. It criticises spreading fisheries spending over several headings as incoherent with the purpose of MFF headings under Article 312(3) TFEU.
  10. It calls for a detailed budget nomenclature that separates fisheries expenditure from spending on the European Ocean Pact or a future European Ocean Act, and that allows monitoring of resources and results.
  11. It notes that changes to the programme's architecture, objectives and eligible actions must be reflected in the monitoring provisions of Annex I of the proposed performance regulation.
  12. It says adequate and visible resources should remain under the EU Facility for data collection, scientific advice, control and enforcement, maritime affairs and ocean knowledge, and calls for harmonised anti-fraud requirements and proportionate procedures for small-scale enterprises.

Who is affected

  • Fisheries and aquaculture sectors, which would receive funding under the proposed envelope and rules.
  • Coastal, island and outermost regions, which depend on the blue economy and face structural constraints.
  • Member states, which would run national plans, top up funding and apply anti-fraud and control requirements.
  • The Commission, which would need staff, technical and IT resources and would manage directly financed actions.
  • Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture enterprises, for which procedures should be simple and accessible.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 2.00 billion: the ringfenced financial envelope for fisheries interventions.
  • EUR 6.1 billion: the envelope for the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund under the current MFF 2021-2027.
  • EUR 7.29 billion in current prices, equivalent to EUR 6.50 billion in 2025 constant prices: the increase Parliament's interim report calls for.
  • EUR 1.69 billion in current prices, equivalent to EUR 1.50 billion in 2025 constant prices: additional financing under Heading 3 called for.
  • 2028 to 2034: the period covered by the proposed regulation and the MFF.

Legal basis: Article 3(1)(d) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, cited on fisheries as an exclusive Union competence.