EN    EN EN 
 
EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 8.4.2009 
SEC(2009) 454 
  
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
 
accompanying the 
COMMUNICATION FROM TH E COMMISSION TO  
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 
 
Building a sustainable future for aquaculture 
 
A new impetus for the Strategy for the Sustainable Development of European 
Aquaculture 
  
SUMMARY OF THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT  
 
 
{COM(2009) 162 final} 
{SEC(2009) 453} 
 
EN 2   EN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  
In 2002, the European Commission presented a Communication on a Strategy for the 
sustainable development of European aquaculture1, which was the first to put the aquaculture 
industry at the forefront at European level. In 2007, DG MA RE (formerly DG FISH) took 
stock of progress made so far. Based on this eval uation, and in view of th e fact that one of the 
main objectives set in 2002 in terms of jobs a nd production growth had not been achieved, the 
Commission launched a broad co nsultation and debate with  all stakeholders on the 
opportunities and challenges f acing European aquaculture. 
During this consultation and assessment period, a number of issues were identified and these 
are developed in this document. The 2002 objec tives of providing safe aquatic food from 
aquaculture, while guaranteeing animal health a nd welfare, and of ensuring that aquaculture is 
regulated have generally been achieved. Howe ver, the general problem identified is the 
overall stagnation of EU aquaculture in te rms of production since the beginning of the 
millennium, against continued growth in this industry at global level. The EU aquaculture 
sector benefits from numerous assets and is a leader in technologica l innovation and research, 
but it also faces a number of problems. The ma in factors referred to  include the overall 
economic outlook of EU aquaculture, notably competition with imports, the structure and 
industrial features of the EU aquaculture business, combin ed with the challenges of EU 
aquaculture vis-à-vis environmental protectio n requirements, the need to overcome space 
limitation and competition for access to water, a nd the challenges of ensuring high levels of 
animal health and welfare. This  consultation raised the importan ce of industry needs-oriented 
research within this new area of animal do mestication, but it also highlighted additional 
problems, such as the lack of sufficient awar eness of aquaculture and the attendant impact on 
its image, the need for better governan ce through communication and involvement of 
stakeholders, and also the need for a level play ing field and a reductio n in the administrative 
burden. 
To address the issues raised during the consulta tion, three broad options are considered in this 
document. 
The first option identified was the status-quo scenar io, i.e. taking no specific initiative and 
keeping  within the confines of the strategy devel oped in 2002. This option would also mean 
taking a “business as usual” approach when developing the numerous policy areas that may 
have an impact on aquaculture, and continuing with an objective set in 2002 in terms of job 
creation that is known not to be being achieved.  
The second option was to consider reiterat ing the type of initiative taken in 2002 and 
proposing a renewed strategy for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture. This would 
mean developing a Communication on political guidance, defining strategic objectives and 
identifying proposals for possible further action within the va rious policy domains of interest. 
Under this option, several possibilities were furt her envisaged, namely assessing the value of 
keeping or reviewing certain strategic objectives defined in 2002, and identifying action for 
all stakeholders or only action that would fall under the responsib ility of the public 
authorities. The possibility of accompanying this political Communication with possible 
proposals for specific “aquaculture-oriented” amendments to the Community financial 
                                                 
1 COM(2002) 511. 
 
EN 3   EN support instrument (European Fisheries Fund – EFF), to act as a possible lever to reinforce 
some dimensions of the strategy, was looked at  during this assessment exercise. This sub-
option was not retained for proportionality and timing considerations, and because of other 
assessments anticipated in the near term (ex post evaluation of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance to begin in 2009)
2. 
The last option envisaged was to fundamentally change the approach by setting the basis for a 
comprehensive “Common EU Aquaculture Poli cy”, by way of a multi- faceted legislative 
framework somewhere between the Common Fisher ies Policy (which would cover fisheries-
related issues only) and the Common Agricultu re Policy, which would also mean developing 
production targets at EU level. Th is latter option was discarded rath er rapidly as it would be at 
variance with the principle of subsid iarity in a number of aspects. 
The actual development of an industry cannot simply be dictated by public powers, but the 
public authorities do have a significant role to  play in establishing the conditions and the 
framework in which an industry can – or cannot – develop. This analysis concluded that these 
challenges should be addressed from  the point of view of the role  of the public authorities in 
the EU, including at national and regional levels, since they are still responsible for a number 
of factors which greatly influence the developm ent of aquaculture (e.g. licensing and spatial 
planning). Given the numerous  EU policies that have an influence on aquaculture 
development, a coordinated approach under a common vision was deemed appropriate. Above 
all, though, this assessment high lighted the value of a new impet us for the EU aquaculture – 
through a political Communication from the Commission to update the 2002 strategy and 
adapt it to new circumstances, refocus some of its strategic objectives  (with more emphasis on 
competitiveness and improved governance) and pr ovide EU leadership in support of this 
industry. 
The aim is therefore to provide a new impetus for the strategy for the sustainable development 
of European aquaculture by addressing the role of the public authorities  in establishing an 
appropriate framework for the sustainable develo pment of aquaculture in Europe and helping 
to remove a number of bottlenecks to allow this  industry to develop its full potential. It will 
however only deliver in full if it is further endor sed by the Member States and also translates 
into concrete action at re gional and local level.  
                                                 
2 However, this is without prejudice to any future decision to review financial support for this EU 
business in the current financial crisis and in the light of the debate at the European Summit in 
December 2008.