Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Added38. Considers that representative entities of all fishers, including small-scale, artisanal fishing and shellfish farming, such as the cofradías, play a vital role in promoting social, economic and environmental standards in coastal communities, but are not always given full recognition under the current regulatory framework; calls on the Commission to take action, in this regard, by coordinating with the Member States concerned, including by considering adapting the CMO rules accordingly, where necessary;

AddedInnovation, research and technological development

Added39. Urges the Commission and Member States to prioritise research and innovation within the blue economy by supporting the development and scaling-up of blue technologies, while ensuring better access to funding for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are vital to driving sustainable growth and enhancing the resilience of the sectors; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take every opportunity to invest in research and innovation – including for the marketing and commercialisation of fish products, including also for the small-scale fisheries – aimed at improving the fisheries sector’s competitiveness, economic sustainability, energy transition, training and capacity-building, avoiding unnecessary administrative barriers that hinder the adoption of new technologies;

Added40. Stresses that innovation is one of the drivers of modernising and renewing the fishing fleet and developing more sustainable and selective fishing and aquaculture practices, including gear, minimising the environmental impact, reducing fuel consumption and bycatches, and facilitating the decarbonisation of vessels; underlines the potential of innovation to add value in the fisheries products processing sector, and in turn increasing the sustainability and competitiveness of the entire value chain;

Added41. Highlights that the high average age of the EU fleet, currently standing at 32 years, and therefore fleet renewal and modernisation is vital not only for competitiveness but also for security, improved working conditions, and access to resources, particularly in the outermost regions; stresses the need for accessible and targeted funding, particularly through EU funds, to support small-scale fishers in this transition, recognising the affordability challenges and limited availability of viable alternatives on the market;

Added42. Emphasises the importance of innovative devices designed to reduce interactions with marine animals; notes the Commission’s commitment to adopting technical specifications for such devices for the EU fleet; calls on the Commission to actively promote the uptake of these devices in non-EU countries;

AddedFunding and investment

Added43. Underlines the need to streamline administrative procedures for accessing EU funds in the new multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2028-2034, so that they can be more effectively accessed by all final beneficiaries, and to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that hinder effective use of those funds, particularly by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which form the backbone of the fisheries and blue economy sectors in many EU coastal regions, islands and outermost regions; welcomes, in this regard, the Commission’s competitiveness compass, aimed at reducing red tape for businesses by at least 25 % in general, and by 35 % for SMEs, as well as its simplification efforts going beyond reporting obligations; urges the Commission and the Member States to provide adequate support to facilitate access to funding while also evaluating costs associated with fishing management measures, fishing ground closures, fiscal pressure, and bureaucratic inefficiencies, in order to improve the fisheries sector’s economic competitiveness; calls also on the Member States to increase investment in coastal communities and outermost regions by supporting the blue economy, enhancing education and upskilling opportunities, and optimising the use of EU funds;

Added44. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure strong, easily accessible and clearly ring-fenced funding for the implementation of the CFP in the new MFF, with a view to providing support for the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and their transition towards greater sustainability and competitiveness; stresses that such funding should also contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for fishers and aquaculture farmers, enhance the sector’s attractiveness for a new generation, and strengthen its contribution to food security, while duly recognising the unique characteristics of fisheries and aquaculture; rejects, in this context, the proposed 67 % reduction in ring-fenced funding; recognises that the current EMFAF alone is insufficient to cover the substantial costs of modernising and renewing the EU’s fishing fleet and that significant investments, estimated at between EUR 10 billion and EUR 25.6 billion20, are required to renew, modernise and decarbonise the fisheries sector, which small businesses cannot always afford through ordinary resources alone;

Added45. Underlines the importance of strengthening support for traditional and sustainable practices, ensuring proper financing for projects and measures contributing to that aim;

Added46. Calls for enhanced additional budget allocations aimed at tackling increases in operational costs, supporting implementation of the Fisheries Control Regulation, and addressing global competition, decarbonisation, fleet modernisation, generational renewal, digitalisation, and the adoption of more selective and sustainable practices; emphasises that the financial instrument should be applicable, flexible, accessible and tailored to the realities of the sector, allowing for investment in innovation, fleet renewal and modernisation, onboard welfare and productivity improvements; calls for an assessment of fishing capacity measurements to better reflect the operational reality by excluding spaces used as galleys, cabins, toilets and rest areas, which have no bearing on a vessel’s capacity to locate or catch fish; suggests the use of alternative methods such as ‘net tonnage’ to make rules fairer, improve crew welfare, and facilitate the modernisation of the fleet; calls also, therefore, on the Commission to swiftly remove regulatory and administrative barriers hindering vessel renewal;

Added47. Believes that an EU fleet renewal plan is crucial for a successful decarbonisation and transition to more sustainable fishing; calls on the Commission to consider raising the ceiling for de minimis aid for the fisheries, aquaculture and shellfish farming sectors, as provided for in Regulation (EU) 2023/239121, to support the adoption of low-emission technologies, sustainable renewal or adaptation of the fleet, and energy efficiency throughout the supply chain; notes, furthermore, that emissions or fuel used for fishing activities should not be taxed following an EU-level obligation until new propulsion technologies and carbon-neutral fuels are commercially available and accessible; urges the Commission to ensure that social and economic sustainability, especially for coastal artisanal fishing, are on an equal footing with environmental sustainability; considers, furthermore, that innovative practices must be developed with the full cooperation of the industry and believes that sub-state legislatures and governments with competencies in fisheries management have a crucial role to play in ensuring locally adapted and effective solutions; calls on the Commission to ensure that price shocks in fuel costs are mitigated for the sector;

AddedSmall-scale fisheries and outermost regions

Added48. Stresses that small-scale coastal fishing, particularly in island and outermost regions, is a cornerstone of the economic, social and cultural fabric of many local communities; calls, as a matter of priority, on the Member States to strengthen financial and policy support for traditional sustainable fisheries practices, small-scale and artisanal fisheries, as well as shellfish gatherers; recognises the need for specific measures and increased support for the outermost regions in order to support the sector in overcoming structural disadvantages and ensuring the viability of local fishing communities; encourages these regions and the respective Member States to use all possibilities under the CFP to allow for the necessary and better adaptation of rules and procedures to local specificities and realities; calls on the Commission to evaluate the possibility of re-establishing a programme of options specifically relating to remoteness and insularity, based on the so-called Fisheries POSEI Regulation22, which is now integrated into the current EMFAF, in order to support the sector in overcoming structural disadvantages and ensuring the viability of local fishing communities;

Added49. Points out that in the outermost regions, investment in port and cold storage infrastructure is essential to guarantee the quality of aquatic food; highlights that enhancing inter-island logistics and improving connections to the mainland and broader markets will ensure that aquatic food reaches consumers promptly and in optimal condition; considers, furthermore, that supporting digital direct marketing platforms, such as by facilitating direct sales from fishers and aquacultures to consumers, can further promote local products;

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50. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.