Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001824/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR), Nora Junco García (ECR)
The European fisheries and aquaculture sector faces challenges concerning generational renewal, energy transition, fleet ageing, digitalisation, climate change and competition for maritime space.
While the common fisheries policy (CFP) has made progress on environmental goals (e.g. fish-stock sustainability), it has underperformed in socio-economic terms.
The CFP should prioritise science-based policies to enhance food-security, reduce bureaucracy and promote socio-economic development. With 70 % of EU seafood being imported, there is growing concern about food autonomy.
With the right support, our fisheries can continue to advance without compromising productivity. The EU’s fishing fleet, constrained by outdated policies limiting capacity and vessel upgrades, struggles to modernise and transition to low-emission technologies.
Investments are urgently needed to update the fleet and related infrastructure.
Imports from non-EU countries with lower standards and costs exacerbate the sector’s challenges. Despite support efforts, EU aquaculture production has stagnated, growing only marginally between 2008 and 2020. Addressing these issues requires a coordinated EU approach focused on competitiveness, sustainability and fair market conditions.
What actions does the Commission intend to take in order to ensure a level playing field with non-EU countries in relation to:
- 1.capture fisheries, such as monitoring compliance with obligations (e.g. regarding the reduction of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) both generally and particularly within EU waters?
- 2.aquaculture, mainly with regard to imports from third parties (e.g. concerning the abolition of various forms of State aid that artificially reduce production costs)?
Submitted: 6.5.2025