An independent ex post evaluation of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) for the 2007-2013 programming period, published on 13 July, say that the EFF was moderately effective in achieving its objectives.
The findings will be used to inform the Commission, member states and other stakeholders for further implementation of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (the EMFF, which succeeded the EFF for the 2014-2020 period) and for reflections for the future. The Commission believes that most of the weaknesses of the EFF have been corrected in the EMFF.
According to the study, between 2007 and 2015, the capacity of the EU fishing fleet decreased by 17.5% (in gross tonnage), more than half of which (53%) was removed with support from the EFF. Thus, nearly 10% of the EU fleet capacity was removed with the help of the EFF. This also resulted in a 9% decrease of engine power in the EU fishing fleet. “The evaluation of the EFF confirmed that there was scope to improve the links between the EFF and the sustainable exploitation of fisheries”, the study states.
Competitiveness of the sector. An overall improvement of the fleet competitiveness was aided with EFF support by contributing to the modernisation of the remaining fleet, improving fishing ports and landing sites, and increasing the added-value of fish products by supporting investments in marketing and processing.
In the aquaculture sector, the results were below the expected objectives as EU aquaculture production increased by less than global aquaculture production over the 2007-2013 period. However, EFF funding was particularly important to sustain the sector during the economic crisis.
Creation of 17,000 jobs. The EFF is estimated to have created approximately 17,000 jobs and maintained many more over the programming period. The EFF contributed to the creation of approximatively 10,000 new jobs in the processing sector. Another 6,760 jobs are estimated to have been created and 9,240 maintained as a result of projects supported under community-led local development.
In 2007, €4.3 billion in EU funding was allocated to the member states through individual operational programmes. By the end of the programming period, 90% of this amount had been transferred to beneficiaries, although de-commitment throughout the programming period reduced the final disbursement to just over €4 billion. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)