The European Commission is seeking public comments on ways to simplify the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the main vehicle for the European Union’s (E.U.) investments in aquaculture and fisheries.
According to a release, the commission is considering a targeted amendment that would “make the fund simpler, more flexible, and easier to implement.” The commission noted that a mid-term evaluation of EMFAF as well as comments from member states suggest some rules are difficult to follow and funding opportunities are too rigid to draw broader interest, meaning some money is left on the table.
“The Commission asks E.U. countries, the fishing and aquaculture sector, the wider value chain, civil society, academia, and citizens to share evidence on where the fund's rules are holding back investment and how they could be streamlined for the rest of the programming period,” the commission said in a release.
The amendment would also codify the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies into E.U. law. That agreement entered into force in September 2025 and provides a global commitment to ending harmful subsidies that enable illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and overfishing. According to the commission, EMFAF needs to be updated to ensure none of its funding contributes to activities banned under the WTO agreement.
Public comments will be accepted for four weeks, with submissions due on the commission’s Have Your Say portal by 21 July.
The commission has been using EMFAF to alleviate the high fuel costs caused by the war in Iran, which led to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz and the blocking of much of the world’s oil supply. In April, the European Commission authorized member states to use EMFAF funds to offset the increased costs of fuel, and multiple nations have had financial assistance schemes approved to support their commercial fishing sectors.
