The European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries could vote on Thursday, 7 March in favour of an increase from €6.4 billion to €6.867 billion for the 2021-2027 budget of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).
MEPs will vote on the architecture of the EMFF during the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) by adopting the report by Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spain) on this issue. The plenary vote on the post-2020 EMFF is scheduled for late March or early April (see EUROPE 12101).
According to the compromise amendments still to be voted on in committee, the financial envelope of this fund would increase to €6.867 billion in constant prices, or €7.739 billion in current prices, while the European Commission was expecting €6.14 billion (in current prices).
Among the priorities of this fund, the Committee on Fisheries plans to add the development of the aquaculture sector.
Of the allocations, it is proposed that: - at least 15% of the EU financial support allocated per country (national envelopes) should be devoted to fisheries control measures; - at least 10% of the support should be reserved for the protection and restoration of marine and coastal biodiversity; - at least 10% of the funds should go to improving safety and living and working conditions on board vessels; - not to exceed 15%, or €6 million of the total envelope per country, for measures to help the permanent or exceptional cessation of fishing activities.
The compromise amendments provide for an allocation of 87% for the EMFF under shared management and 13% for funds under direct and indirect management.
Ineligible operations. The following operations will not be eligible under the EMFF: - operations that increase the fishing capacity of a vessel, unless for the purpose of “improving the safety or the working or living conditions of the crew, which includes corrections to vessel stability, or the quality of the product, provided that the increase is within the limit allocated to the Member State concerned, without jeopardising the balance between fishing capacity and available fishing opportunities, and without increasing the ability of the fishing vessel concerned to catch fish” (the Commission did not foresee this derogation); - the construction and acquisition of fishing vessels or the importation of fishing vessels, unless otherwise provided; the temporary or permanent cessation of fishing activities unless otherwise provided; the construction of new ports (except for small ports and fish landing sites requested by the ‘Fisheries Committee’).
In addition, the compromise amendments: - oppose the production of genetically modified organisms that would affect the natural environment; - accept certain investments on board vessels (modernisation or replacement of engines, if power is not increased).
Fishing fleets. The EMFF would allow compensation for the permanent cessation of fishing activities, if the following conditions are met, in particular (according to a compromise amendment): the cessation of activities leads to a permanent reduction in fishing capacity (and the support received is not reinvested in the fleet).
Provisions are added to allow fishermen (including owners of fishing vessels and crew members) who have worked at sea for at least 90 days per year (during the last two calendar years preceding the date of submission of the application for support) on board a Union fishing vessel concerned by the permanent cessation may also benefit from support for the permanent cessation of fishing activities.
The European Parliament reintroduces the “temporary” cessation measure (the Commission refers to exceptional cessation) of fishing activities, in particular in the case of conservation measures such as “biological recovery periods” and exclusion of TACs and quotas.
Special provisions are foreseen for fleets in the outermost regions, including aid for the renewal of small coastal fishing fleets (including the construction and acquisition of new vessels). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)