The European Parliament voted on Thursday 4 April in favour of a 10% increase in the 2021-2027 envelope of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to €7.739 billion (current prices) in total.
MEPs adopted the report by Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spain) finalising his first-reading position on the EMFF of the next EU multiannual financial framework (MFF). Negotiations with the Council of the EU will start next autumn on this sensitive issue (see EUROPE 12209/6).
The plenary broadly confirmed the amendments voted in the European Parliament Committee on Fisheries.
An amendment tabled by the S&D and Greens/EFA groups was adopted providing that at least 25% of the EU financial support allocated by Member State under the EMFF “shall be allocated to the protection and restoration of marine and coastal biodiversity and ecosystems and to knowledge of the marine environment”. The Committee on Fisheries had only expected 10%.
Another change is the rejection in plenary of the amendment which provided for the removal of the 40-year age limit for public support for the first acquisition of a fishing vessel by a young fisherman. Therefore, the original text with this age limit is restored.
This more restrictive trend in this aid for the purchase of vessels does not prevent environmental NGOs from protesting against Parliament’s position, which reintroduces aid for the construction of new vessels in the outermost regions as well as controversial aid on the ‘scrapping’ of vessels. According to WWF, Greenpeace, or Oceana, this aid is intended to increase fishing capacity and does not comply with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) or the EU's international commitments.
The text voted authorises, in fact, for small-scale coastal fishing, but subject to conditions, aid for the renewal of engines or the first purchase of fishing vessels. Parliament also authorises aid in the event of a temporary cessation of fishing activities. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)