Renew Europe strongly welcomes today’s support in Plenary for the measures to provide additional aid for the EU’s fishery and aquaculture sector, which is heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The package foresees, inter alia, much needed support for fishers who have to temporarily stop operating and for aquaculture producers for the suspension or reduction of their production. Outermost regions will also receive additional help to cope with their specific difficulties. Moreover, more flexibility for the reallocation of national operational funds will be provided as well as assistance to producer organisations with a view to the temporary storage of fishery and aquaculture products.
Pierre Karleskind (Renaissance, FR), Chair of the Fisheries Committee and Rapporteur of this file, commented:
"As Chair of the Committee of Fisheries, I made sure we acted quickly and the most efficiently as possible to mitigate the terrible effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. We wanted to make sure that no one would be left behind and that all could benefit from support. In times like these, we have to stand together."
Note to editors
Once approved by the European Council, the temporary measures will be eligible retroactively as of 1 February 2020 and until the end of 2020.
ENDS