On the role of social, economic and environmental standards in safeguarding fair competition for all aquatic food products and improving food security

Committee on Fisheries · Rapporteur: Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral

✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 18 Sept 2026

This is a draft report by the Committee on Fisheries on how social, economic and environmental standards can safeguard fair competition for aquatic food products and improve food security.¶¶ It calls for mandatory labelling of all aquatic food products on the EU market, including origin, wild-caught or farmed status and nutritional quality.¶ It asks the Commission and member states to close gaps in customs, trade and fisheries agreements so imports meet the same or equivalent standards as EU production, and to harmonise import controls.¶¶ It seeks stronger support for small-scale and artisanal fisheries and greater autonomy for outermost regions, including re-establishing POSEI-Fisheries.¶ It stresses labour rights, fair wages, safe working conditions, research and innovation, and better use of EU funds for small and medium-sized enterprises.¶¶¶

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament call for mandatory labelling of aquatic food products, harmonised import controls, exclusion of yellow- or red-card countries from tariff quotas, support for small-scale fisheries and outermost regions, and stronger labour, environmental and innovation standards.¶¶¶

Key points

Emphasises the need for mandatory labelling of all aquatic food products placed on the EU market, distinguishing wild-caught from farmed, stating country or region of origin and nutritional quality, and creating conditions for quality schemes such as geographical indications and protected designations of origin.¶
Calls on the Commission to ensure the eCatch system is operational and that member states' national authorities are fully prepared to use it.¶
Stresses that under Article 17 of the CFP Regulation member states must use transparent and objective criteria, including environmental, social and economic ones, when allocating fishing opportunities, promoting multiannual allocation and fair distribution, also taking into account small-scale fisheries and coastal communities.¶
Calls on the Commission and member states to address gaps in the customs legal framework, sustainable fisheries partnership agreements and EU trade agreements to guarantee a level playing field and ensure imports comply with the same or equivalent standards as EU production.¶
Calls on the Commission to harmonise import controls across member states to guarantee the same standards and prevent IUU products from entering the EU.¶
Calls on the Commission to exclude countries subject to yellow or red cards from the autonomous tariff quota regime, to avoid downward pressure on EU producers' prices, and to reinforce traceability through measures such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.¶
Calls on the Commission to strengthen international cooperation and leadership, especially under the Ocean Pact, engage non-EU countries to align with EU standards and combat IUU fishing, particularly by non-EU fleets in international waters.¶
Highlights the EU sector's role in providing nutritious, high-quality seafood for food security and consumers' health, and stresses that economic standards, reduced administrative burdens and legislative simplification are vital for resilient supply chains and stable markets.¶¶
Calls for strengthened financial and policy support for traditional sustainable fisheries and small-scale and artisanal fisheries, and for greater autonomy for outermost regions on funding and legislation, re-establishing POSEI-Fisheries to overcome structural disadvantages.¶
Emphasises the role of labour rights, employment of women and young people, fair wages and a safe working environment in ensuring fair and ethical practices in fisheries and aquaculture.¶
Calls on member states to invest in research and innovation, make better use of EU funds such as the Cohesion Fund, Horizon Europe and EMFAF, and ensure better access to funding for small and medium-sized enterprises.¶
Stresses that innovation is crucial to develop sustainable fishing practices and gear, minimising environmental impact, reducing fuel consumption and bycatches, and increasing the sector's competitiveness.¶

Who is affected

EU fisheries and aquaculture producers, who would face the same or equivalent standards as imports.¶
Small-scale and artisanal fisheries, which would receive strengthened financial and policy support.¶
Outermost regions, which would gain greater autonomy on funding and legislation and a re-established POSEI-Fisheries programme.¶
Consumers, who would benefit from mandatory labelling and information on origin, production method and nutritional quality.¶
Non-EU countries and fleets, which are asked to align with EU standards and combat IUU fishing, with yellow or red card countries excluded from tariff quotas.¶¶

Figures and deadlines

around 70 % — the EU's dependence on aquatic food imports.¶
55% — the share of consumers citing price as the most significant factor in purchasing decisions for aquatic food in 2024.¶
52 % — the share citing product appearance.¶
10 % — the share of total consumption represented by the EU aquaculture sector.¶

Legal basis: Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.¶

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text and ¶ links to the paragraph it rests on. Check the text itself before relying on it.