Debate: European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund
Date: MONDAY, 5 JULY 2021
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

The negotiations on the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, the so-called EMFAF, were long and intense. They involved three presidencies and they were not always easy. But in the end, the outcome was good and balanced, which reflected our joint determination to reach an agreement and avoid major delays. Of course, each of the institutions had to compromise. But as we know, compromise is the essence of democracy.  I have always been frank that the text is not perfect. The Commission would definitely have preferred a lower financial cap for fleet measures to secure more funding for core priorities such as sustainable fishing, fisheries control, collection of scientific data, innovation or local development. And as several of you said today, we had clearly hoped for a specific binding target or financial ring-fencing for climate objectives or for the protection of biodiversity. But overall, the result was a satisfactory one.  I want to explicitly underline the importance of this agreement. First, because in the next decade, with all the challenges it will bring, we will have a new fund to support our fisheries, aquaculture, coastal areas and the blue economy. The post-Brexit and COVID-19 context has put the resilience of our maritime sectors to the test, and the EMFAF will help in finding solutions. Second, because the EMFAF will deliver on the objectives of the European Green Deal as regards the protection of marine biodiversity, the full transition to sustainable and low impact fishing and aquaculture, and contribute to our decarbonisation goals.  In this context, as the Commission committed in the statement that accompanies the agreed text, let me be very clear: we will actively encourage Member States to reach the overall ambition in terms of annual spending under the multiannual framework to tackle biodiversity loss. And we will monitor this both during the programming process and during implementation. Where this monitoring shows insufficient progress, we will engage with Member States to adopt remedial measures, including programme amendments.  Last but not least, in the end, we have managed to avoid harmful fisheries subsidies. The EMFAF now only contains subsidies that contribute positively to the Common Fisheries Policy and to our Green Deal objectives. This was my commitment during my confirmation hearing before this House in 2019 and I am glad to see that together we managed to achieve this. Nothing in the EMFAF increases the overall fishing capacity of the fleet, contributes to overfishing or encourages illegal fishing. This would have been totally unacceptable for the Commission and for me personally.  I therefore welcome the balance we found between investing in the needs of the fleet and including the necessary safeguards to avoid overcapacity and overfishing.  I know that some question this interpretation, but I am truly convinced that the EU can negotiate on fisheries subsidies at the World Trade Organization with clean hands. The agreement you will endorse this week puts us in a very good position to eliminate harmful subsidies worldwide and ensure a global level playing field. This, above all, is in the interests of EU fisheries.  The new EMFAF will be geared towards the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources in line with our commitment under Sustainable Development Goal 14. It will help us make further progress towards sustainable fisheries. It will promote low impact and low carbon fishing techniques. It will support conservation, management and control measures, underpinned by scientific knowledge.  The new EMFAF will also contribute to the sector’s economic and social sustainability. In this regard, the EMFAF will enable investments and innovation and support the development of the skills of our fishermen and women, as well as their safety, which are key enablers for profitability and resilience.  The COVID-19 crisis has indeed shown how important it is to increase the resilience of our fishing sector. The EMFAF will also support the digital transition of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. IT and artificial intelligence are not only relevant for new emerging sectors but also traditional ones. The EMFAF precisely aims to unlock their potential and create new business opportunities in the long term. Digital tools will also contribute to modern, efficient and user-friendly fisheries control and traceability systems and are key for ensuring a level playing field for fishers across the EU.  I am also satisfied with the results we achieved on small-scale coastal fishing. Even if the initial Commission proposal of a dedicated action plan was not retained, the national programmes will have to address the specific needs of small-scale vessels and develop adequate actions. And I can only reassure you that the Commission will analyse these elements very carefully when assessing the programme prepared by Member States.  A key novelty in this EMFAF, compared with the previous fund, is the strategic approach for the outermost regions. The fund will continue to compensate the additional costs stemming from the specific situation of these regions and, in addition, will put in place the conditions for a profitable and sustainable blue economy. The EMFAF will not only contribute to sustainability in the EU, but dedicated funds will also be available to finance EU action on international ocean governance.  Last but not least, I want to highlight the significant simplification. Compared with the previous fund, the new framework will be much less prescriptive on eligibility rules and will focus on results. Member States will have more flexibility and with it more responsibility to develop the actions that best respond to their needs. Simplification and monitoring go hand-in-hand and, in this respect, I want to thank the European Parliament for having defended a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.  To conclude, the new EMFAF is a key financial tool to ensure that our fisheries and aquaculture sectors will manage the transition towards a green and digital future in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal. We will now monitor and accompany the implementation of the fund very closely to ensure that its objectives are achieved. And I look forward to its final adoption by the European Parliament. Thank you very much for your cooperation and for your attention.