20.9.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 361/13 Thursday 24 March 2022
61.
Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the new European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund will be operational as soon as possible and asks the Commission to urgently table a proposal to allow for emergency aid to be possible under the fund in times of crisis as well, such as the war in Ukraine; urges the mobilisation of any remaining funds from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and strongly urges the Commission and Member States to accelerate the implementation of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve in order to ensure that support reaches Brexit-affected areas faster;
62.
Urges the Commission to propose emergency measures to support fisheries, aquaculture and the whole value chain (processing, retail, etc.) in the EU; requests, in this context, that emergency measures include: compensation for operators for their income foregone and additional costs, support for the temporary cessation of fishing activities and support for producer organisations and the whole seafood value chain for the temporary storage of fishery and aquaculture products through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, an increase in the year-to-year quota flexibility from 10 % to 25 %, an increase in the State aid limit to up to EUR 500 000 per vessel under the de minimis framework and inclusion of fisheries and aquaculture in the Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid measures; calls on the Commission and the Member States to put in place all available instruments of the common fisheries policy to stabilise the markets;
63.
Notes that measures across the entire food supply chain should be considered to ensure that all stakeholders play a role in bolstering the resilience of the agri- and aquatic food sectors and that these measures must contribute to the goals and objectives of the EU transition to climate neutrality by 2050; considers that in line with the rapid implementation of the Unfair Trading Practices Directive (8), particular focus should be placed on the viability of farming, fishing and aquaculture, and on the significant role of retailers in determining fair returns to producers, particularly in light of the pressures arising from the increased cost of inputs, but in equal measure, their responsibility to ensure that food remains affordable and accessible for consumers;
64.
Calls on the Commission to act to ensure that State aid provisions for agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, including de minimis provisions, allow Member States to grant rapid and flexible support to operators in order to compensate for the increased costs related to the war in Ukraine; highlights in this regard that Member States, within their national framework, should also consider assistance such as reducing social security contributions, suspending or reducing certain taxes and extending COVID-19 loans; calls on the Commission to ensure that State aid does not lead to the distortion of competition and that a level playing field between Member States is guaranteed;
65.
Calls for reinforced action at international level to ensure that policy decision-making has food security at its core, in order to avoid scarcity and ensure nutritional security in the most vulnerable countries, giving priority to food uses of agricultural products and preventing obstacles to the international trade in food;
66.
Calls on the Commission and the Member States to swiftly propose a meeting of the FAO Committee on World Food Security, which should be the favoured coordination forum on the matter, as it ensures the inclusive representation of all states; calls on the Commission and the Member States to engage in this forum to ensure international coordination, notably on stocks, biofuels and financial support to importer countries;
67.
Believes that significant shifts in market and export models, as well as serious contingency planning, could also be needed, such as autonomy in EU feed production, alternative outlets for exports, enhanced reactive capacity, strategic stocks of basic food, feed and other food products, autonomy in fertilisers and replacement products, and clear information on global transport patterns for agricultural, fisheries and aquaculture products;
68.
Calls for the acceleration and strengthening of actions to reduce food waste to maximise food availability and the use of the resources within the EU to improve food autonomy; stresses the need to avoid loss of food during storage and in all stages of the supply chain, to facilitate the donation of food through the coherent implementation of liability law, to encourage the recovery of food waste and to develop alternative options for retailers, including reduced price promotions
(8)
OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 59.