Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

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

(2025/2010(INI))

The European Parliament,

Changed– having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the commonCommon fisheriesFisheries policyPolicy1 (CFP),

Changed– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture FundFund2 (EMFAF),

Removed– having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2023 on the small-scale fisheries situation in the EU and future perspectives,

Added– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006 and (EC) No 1005/2008 and Regulations (EU) 2016/1139, (EU) 2017/2403 and (EU) 2019/473 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards fisheries control3 (Fisheries Control Regulation),

Removed– having regard to its resolution of 18 January 2024 on the impact of illegal fishing on food security – the role of the European Union,

Added– having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1184/2006 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 104/20004,

Added– having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on certain measures for the purpose of the conservation of fish stocks in relation to countries allowing non-sustainable fishing5,

Added– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008 establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1936/2001 and (EC) No 601/2004 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1093/94 and (EC) No 1447/1999 (IUU Regulation)6,

Added– having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2023 on the small-scale fisheries situation in the EU and future perspectives7,

Added– having regard to its resolution of 18 January 2024 on the impact of illegal fishing on food security – the role of the European Union8,

Added– having regard to is resolution of 18 January 2024 on the implementation of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation in fisheries and aquaculture – Regulation (EU) No 1379/20139,

Added– having regard to its resolution of 18 January 2024 on the state of play in the implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy and future perspectives10,

Added– having regard to its resolution of 17 October 2023 on the implications of Chinese fishing operations on EU fisheries and the way forward11,

Added– having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2021 on a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system12,

Added– having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 on Fishers for the future: Attracting a new generation of workers to the fishing industry and generating employment in coastal communities13,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 May 2021 entitled ‘Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030’ (COM(2021)0236),

Changed– having regard to Articlethe 349Commission communication of the5 TreatyJune on2025 theentitled Functioning‘The ofEuropean theOcean EuropeanPact’ Union,(COM(2025)0281),

Removed– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 May 2022 entitled ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions’ (COM(2022)0198) and its resolution of 13 June 2023 on the assessment of the new Commission communication on outermost regions,

Added– having regard to Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

Added– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 May 2022 entitled ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions’ (COM(2022)0198) and its resolution of 13 June 2023 on the assessment of the new Commission communication on outermost regions14,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food – Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations’ (COM(2025)0075),

Added– having regard to the Commission foresight study of 7 January 2025 entitled ‘Fishers of the Future’,

Added– having regard to European Court of Auditors special report 20/2022 of 26 September 2022 entitled ‘EU action to combat illegal fishing – Control systems in place but weakened by uneven checks and sanctions by Member States’,

Added– having regard to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of 1998, the 11 ILO fundamental instruments and ILO Convention 188 of 2007 on Work in Fishing,

Added– having regard to the recommendation to the Commission of the Aquaculture Advisory Council (AAC) of December 2021 on achieving greater sustainability standards of imported aquaculture products and a level playing field,

Added– having regard to the AAC recommendation to the Commission of July 2019 on the import of subsidized portion-sized rainbow trout from Turkey,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

Changed– having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A10-0000/2025),(A10-0205/2026),

Change 1

RemovedA. whereas the EU is highly dependent on aquatic food imports (around 70 %) and measures must be urgently implemented to reduce this dependence in order to make full use of the total allowable catches, increase aquaculture production and reduce food waste;

AddedA. whereas the main objectives of the EU fisheries and ocean policy are to ensure that fishing and ocean use are environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially responsible; whereas strong governance frameworks and high social, economic and environmental standards have been established to achieve these objectives;

RemovedB. whereas the CFP strives to balance economic, social and environmental standards, but frequently falls short of the desired outcome;

AddedB. whereas fisheries and aquaculture are vital for food supply and food security; whereas the EU is highly dependent on aquatic food imports (around 70 %), this dependency has continued to increase in recent years, and measures must be urgently implemented to reduce it, with a view to increasing and securing the EU’s food sovereignty, reducing food waste, as well as fostering a thriving European fisheries and aquaculture sector;

RemovedC. whereas aquatic food products are a source of high-quality protein with a low environmental footprint;

AddedC. whereas the CFP seeks to ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable in the long-term and are managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits, and contribute to the availability of food supplies; whereas, however, while it incorporates environmental goals such as maintaining fish populations above levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield, it often falls short of achieving its desired outcomes and lacks equivalent targets for the social and economic objectives of the fishing sector, highlighting the need to improve its implementation and assess the need for its revision;

RemovedD. whereas the 2024 Eurobarometer shows a decline in the consumption of aquatic food in the EU, which is mainly attributed to rising prices, leading consumers to opt for cheaper, unhealthier and less nutritious food alternatives;

AddedD. whereas Article 39 TFEU requires that the CFP must, among other things, ensure a fair standard of living for the fishing community and assure the availability of food supplies; whereas the EU has some of the most sustainable fisheries in the world thanks to the CFP’s efforts to reduce overfishing and promote sector sustainability; whereas despite this, EU aquaculture production has stagnated since 2000, resulting in fewer jobs in the sector and a decline in the EU’s self-sufficiency rate in aquatic products;

RemovedE. whereas administrative, licensing, spatial planning, social and environmental obligations in the EU are often burdensome and lengthy, which leads to uncertainty, discourages investment, drives up costs, and is unfair when compared to non-EU countries that have trade relations with the EU;

AddedE. whereas among the main objectives of the European Ocean Pact are to make sure that fisheries and aquaculture, including the processing sector, improve their competitiveness and resilience and ensure stable supply for the EU market, while maintaining an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, and to promote at global level the EU’s objectives of strengthening the sustainability of imports and ensuring a level playing field;

RemovedF. whereas illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing presents serious threats to fish stocks, affecting food security and the sustainability of the sector;

AddedF. whereas generational renewal within the fisheries and aquaculture sector is vital for securing the strategic autonomy of the EU and for recognising that the adoption of innovative fishing gear and the digitalisation of fishing practices are crucial to attracting younger generations to the sector, ensuring a sustainable future for both the fishing and aquaculture sectors;

RemovedG. whereas coastal communities and the outermost regions are more vulnerable to unfair competition and the consequences of climate change, which significantly jeopardise fisheries and the competitiveness of the sector, threaten aquaculture and EU food security, and adversely affect local economies and livelihoods;

AddedG. whereas current fisheries legislation does not sufficiently address cross-cutting goals such as employment, economic viability, job security and workers’ welfare; whereas decent working conditions, future prospects and effective social protection are essential to attracting a new generation of fishers;

RemovedRole of standards in fisheries and aquaculture

AddedH. whereas the objectives of ensuring food supply, food security and a fair standard of living should play a more prominent role in the decision-making process; whereas it is therefore essential to incorporate specific social and economic indicators and objectives into the CFP regulatory framework;

Removed1. Emphasises the need for mandatory labelling of all aquatic food products placed on the EU market, including a clear distinction between wild-caught and farmed products, as well as their country/region of origin and the nutritional quality of the imported aquatic products, in order to improve traceability, consumer information and fair competition across the sector; highlights the need to create the conditions to implement quality schemes such as geographical indications and protected designations of origin;

AddedI. whereas aquatic food products, especially most wild-caught fish, are a source of high-quality protein with a low environmental footprint compared to many other protein sources; whereas particularly in the case of shellfish and seaweed farming the carbon footprint is especially low as they provide additional environmental benefits such as carbon capture and water purification;

Removed2. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the eCatch system is operational and that the Member States’ national authorities are fully prepared to use it;

AddedJ. whereas in 2023 the EU fishing fleet numbered 70 280 vessels, of which 53 260 were still active in 2025; whereas engaged crew amounted to 119 479 fishers, corresponding to 73 974 full-time equivalents, marking a decline of around 2 % compared with 2022; whereas in 2023 the fleet landed 3.39 million tonnes of seafood valued at EUR 6.1 billion, representing a decrease of 2.6 % in volume and 12–13 % in value compared to the previous year; whereas revenue in 2023 fell to EUR 6.47 billion (a decrease of 10.6 %) and net profit decreased sharply to EUR 59 million, down 61 % from 2022, resulting in a net profit margin of just 0.9 %; whereas these figures highlight a loss of structural, economic and strategic capacity, as well as fishing opportunities and fishing grounds, which must be urgently addressed to ensure the EU’s food sovereignty and the viability of the sector15;

Removed3. Stresses that, according to Article 17 of the CFP Regulation, the Member States must use transparent and objective criteria, including environmental, social and economic ones, when allocating fishing opportunities, promoting multiannual allocation and fair distribution to ensure stability and predictability for the sector, also taking into account small-scale fisheries and coastal communities;

AddedK. whereas aquatic food producers, including small-scale, artisanal fishers and shellfish gatherers and aquaculture producers and related sectors play a vital role for the society and for the communities they support;

Removed4. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address any gaps within the customs legal framework, sustainable fisheries partnership agreements and EU trade agreements in order to guarantee a level playing field for the EU sector and to ensure that all imports comply with the same or equivalent standards as those established for the EU, guaranteeing the competitiveness of the EU sector;

AddedL. whereas the 2024 Eurobarometer survey showed a decline in the consumption of aquatic food in the EU, which is mainly attributed to rising prices, but is also driven by limited availability of fresh or high-quality fish products and concerns over the country of origin and sustainability, among other factors, which tend to influence consumers’ choices and lead them to opt for cheaper, unhealthier and less nutritious food alternatives;

Removed5. Calls on the Commission to harmonise import controls across the Member States in order to guarantee the same standards for aquatic products and to prevent IUU products from entering the EU;

AddedM. whereas the lack of a level playing field with non-EU countries sharing the same sea basin can distort competition and environmental sustainability in those regions;

Removed6. Calls on the Commission to exclude countries subject to yellow (after careful consideration) or red cards from benefiting from the autonomous tariff quota regime, which also should not be used to exert downward pressure on EU producers’ prices; emphasises the need to reinforce traceability systems through measures such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive;

AddedN. whereas administrative procedures, such as licensing, spatial planning and other obligations in Member States and the EU, particularly on islands and in outermost regions, are generally stricter compared to certain non-EU countries that have trade relations with the EU and export products to the EU market;