Key facts
- EU national governments want to weaken environmental safeguards in the bloc's next long-term budget for the fishing industry.
- The European Commission proposed linking fisheries funding to marine conservation and blue economy objectives.
- A majority of EU countries argued that funding should prioritize fleet modernization and respect fish stock availability.
- The compromise text was amended to state that funding rules should be 'duly taken into account' for the 'Do No Significant Harm' rule.
- The Netherlands and Sweden did not support the deal after the amendment.
- Fishing industry association Europêche stated that EU fisheries funding should primarily serve the Common Fisheries Policy.
EU national governments are seeking to weaken environmental conditions attached to funding for the fishing sector under the bloc's next long-term budget. The European Commission had proposed that EU money allocated to fisheries should also contribute to marine conservation and blue economy goals. However, a majority of member states argued during a meeting of fisheries ministers that the funds should primarily focus on modernizing fleets and respecting fish stock availability.
This move sets up a potential conflict as political negotiations on the EU's multi-annual financial framework, totaling €2 trillion over seven years, intensify ahead of a year-end deadline. Ireland's minister for agriculture and fisheries, Martin Heydon, emphasized the importance of clarity on future funding access for the sector.
Following last-minute changes to the compromise text, EU countries agreed that funding rules for fisheries should be 'duly taken into account' when applying the 'Do No Significant Harm' principle to the overall EU budget. This amendment, however, led to some countries, including the Netherlands and Sweden, withholding their support for the deal.
Environmental groups expressed concern, with ClientEarth lawyer Dimitri Lami warning that the governments' position could lead to increased overfishing by supporting fleets with excessive capacity relative to fish stocks. The fishing industry association Europêche argued that fisheries funding should prioritize the Common Fisheries Policy, suggesting that marine conservation and research could be funded through other budget lines.