The European Commission decided on 24 March to activate new crisis measures to support the fishery and aquaculture sectors in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Why is the Commission activating crisis measures?
The military aggression of Russia against Ukraine since 24 February 2022 is impacting the whole seafood value chain – fishers, aquaculture farmers, processing and marketing companies – in the European Union.
The impact includes the disruption of trade flows of key commodities for the fishery and aquaculture sector from Russia and Ukraine that suddenly aggravated the increase of prices of key inputs such as energy and raw materials. In addition, this crisis is likely to have serious consequences on the supply of grain, vegetable oils and white fish from Ukraine and Russia to the Union, leading to a strong increase in fish feed prices.
As a result, part of the Union fleet has ceased fishing, given the and the present impossibility of compensating the increase in input costs.
Fishing vessels operating in the Black Sea are also facing the threat of possible military activities, therefore leading to a precautionary suspension of their activity.
The combined impact of those cost increases and shortages is also felt by the seafood farming and processing sectors.
This is why the Commission believes there is a market disturbance caused by significant cost increases and trade disruptions that requires action in line with the requirements of the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Regulation, and thus a basis to put in place the crisis measures provided for in Article 26 of that regulation.
How will the measures be implemented?
The measures are in the hands of Member States, which have the responsibility to decide whether to use them. If they decide to use them, they will have to include them in the next version of their European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) programme submitted to the Commission. The Commission will provide technical guidance to Member States to frame the methodologies for calculating the compensation.
The expenditure for the measures is eligible if it concerns costs incurred between 24 February and 31 December 2022. Member States can immediately start implementing the measures. After the approval of their EMFAF programme for 2021-2027 by the Commission, the Member State will have to formally confirm the selection criteria used for granting the aid.
Source: European Commission
