The Commission’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028 – 2034 proposal is a fundamental redesign of the EU budget to make it more integrated, flexible and performance-oriented.
For fisheries, aquaculture, maritime and ocean-related policies, the goal is to reduce fragmentation, better align funding with national and regional priorities, and enable faster budget reallocation in response to crises and exceptional events. At the same time, the proposal aims to grant more flexibility to Member States to better address their needs and priorities.
The budget proposal recognises that fishery and aquaculture producers are the lifeblood of Europe’s coastal communities and economies. It will support the implementation of EU policies, including the common fisheries policy (CFP), and actions under the European Ocean Pact.
What part of the new budget can support fisheries, aquaculture, maritime, coastal communities and ocean-related activities?
Ocean, fisheries, aquaculture and the maritime sectors are very well reflected in three major headings of the new EU budget.
The support available has the potential to go beyond the 2021-2027 EMFAF budget of approximately €6.1 billion.
Under the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), which include €453 billion available for economic, territorial and social cohesion, including for fisheries, there can be investments in rural and coastal areas, community-led local development (CLLD), smart specialisation strategies, and support for generational renewal in the fishery and aquaculture sector.
Most importantly, within the plans, there is a minimum reserved allocation of €2 billion to implement core parts of the common fisheries policy (CFP), including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine conservation and restoration, as well, as the Common Markets Organisation (CMO). Moreover, beyond this minimum amount, Member States can allocate additional resources to address their specific needs. Additionally, under the EU Facility, (€72 billion in total, out of which €11,5 billion available, among others, for CFP support), the Commission can support the implementation of specific areas under the CFP, such as the conservation of marine biological resources and the support of ocean policy through investments in scientific advice, data collection and control.
Heading two of the budget, the European Competitiveness Fund, brings an additional source of support. It will foster the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of the fishery and aquaculture sector. It will also, support clean transition and promote sustainable blue economy, such as decarbonisation policies in the maritime sectors, including shipbuilding for fisheries and shipping, offshore energy, ocean observation and blue tech. Furthermore, Horizon Europe will continue to support ocean observation, research and innovation within the Competitiveness Fund.
The third heading of the budget, the Global Europe instrument, will support EU ocean diplomacy and international ocean governance. It will also strengthen partnerships with non-EU countries to support sustainable fisheries and the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
What are the main changes that will affect fisheries and aquaculture?
Cross-fund benefits for fishers and aquaculture producers. While a minimum reserved allocation of €2 billion is available to implement core parts of the common fisheries policy, fishers and aquaculture producers will be able to benefit from all other major funds of the EU budget as well as other measures put forward by the Member States in their National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs).
Local support for coastal communities. Coastal communities will be supported through the amount of €453 billion available for economic, territorial and social cohesion. Coastal communities stand to gain from increased flexibility, as they can now prioritise funding for different local projects. For instance, a coastal town might invest in tourism infrastructure supporting eco-tourism linked to marine conservation or develop value-added seafood processing facilities.
Targeted support linked to regional and national priorities. The new structure will give Member States more flexibility to tailor their budget in accordance with national, regional and local needs, under the NRPPs. It will result in a better targeted and more impactful EU support, where it matters most, and give faster and more flexible access to the sectors that need it the most.
Increased simplification with the ‘Single Gateway’. A single expenditure and performance monitoring system will apply to all relevant programmes, allowing for a comprehensive overview of where EU funds are allocated and what they deliver. The framework replaces over 5,000 indicators with a streamlined set of around 900 output and result indicators reducing administrative burden significantly.
What practical opportunities open for coastal communities, small-scale fisheries and generational renewal?
Integrated investments combining economic diversification (tourism, processing, eco-tourism) with fisheries support (harbour infrastructure, cold chains, diversification to aquaculture).
Targeted support for small-scale and artisanal fisheries via regional chapters and the possibility for Member States to grant a maximum of 100 % aid intensity rate in NRPPs, and project funding through the Competitiveness Fund (innovation, green gear, electrification, decarbonisation).
Support to generational renewal in the fisheries and aquaculture sector will be provided under the amount reserved for the Common Agricultural Policy.
How will the new structure protect the common fisheries policy (CFP) from fragmentation?
There is a €2 billion minimum allocation to implement some areas of the common fisheries policy (CFP) to support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine conservation and restoration as well as the Common Market Organisation (CMO). This reserved amount provides a guaranteed baseline in shared management.
There will be performance benchmarks and payments will be subject to outputs or agreed conditions. National and regional plans under the single performance monitoring system must demonstrate how they support the CFP’s objectives.
Commission oversight at plan approval and during implementation, plus the Single Gateway and consolidated reporting, are intended to preserve coherence and detect deviations.
How will the new MFF support the energy, green transition of the fleet and ports?
National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) can allocate resources to energy transition measures.
The Competitiveness Fund is explicitly designed to back decarbonisation and innovation – for example modernising vessels, port electrification, green shipbuilding, blue tech -. These funds can be deployed via grants, financial instruments or procurement.
Any fleet support must comply with WTO fisheries subsidies rules and CFP objectives. Moreover, the principle of the ‘do-no-significant-harm’ that will apply to the entire EU budget, will ensure that all EU support is environmentally proofed.
What about outermost and highly dependent maritime regions?
Member States can include dedicated measures for outermost regions in their NRPPs addressing structural constraints, such as food security, connectivity, energy, fisheries and aquaculture. This allows a bundled approach with space to tackle region-specific needs through NRPP design.
How will the Commission ensure transparency, auditability and that funds are actually used for CFP objectives?
A single performance and monitoring system will assess how much the EU budget spends on green priorities. Tracking coefficients for climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and resilience, and environment will enable a more robust quantification of the EU budget contribution to these policies. This will reinforce the link between financing and performance, to strengthen performance in the EU budget.
The do-no-significant-harm (DNSH) principle that will apply to the entire EU budget mandates that all programmes and activities must fulfil their intended goals and set objectives according to sector-specific guidelines, ensuring they do not fund any activities that could cause considerable harm and hinder environmental objectives.
How will Global Europe affect fisheries diplomacy, partnerships and the fight against IUU?
Global Europe will support EU ocean diplomacy and international ocean governance. It will help strengthen partnerships with non-EU countries to support sustainable fisheries and the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This external envelope complements the domestic NRPP and Competitiveness support for capacity building and regional cooperation.