Implementation Dialogue on EU aquaculture policy with Commissioner Costas Kadis

Objectives and agenda

The Implementation Dialogue with Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, brought together stakeholders to discuss how EU aquaculture policy and legislation are being put into practice. The discussion looked at progress so far, as well as the main challenges and opportunities ahead. It will help identify bottlenecks, areas for improvement and good practices to inform the future direction of EU aquaculture policy. 

The dialogue follows the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation and comes ahead of the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture.

Part I : Overall EU legislative framework applicable to aquaculture 

• The policy approach and coordination established in Article 34 of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation in terms of achieving the objective of the sustainable growth of aquaculture in the EU and its contribution to jobs and economic development in coastal and inland communities includes the following elements: Commission Strategic Guidelines (Art 34 (1)); Multi-Annual National Strategic Plans for Aquaculture (MNSPAs) and coordination among the Member States (Art 34(2) to (5)); Commission-led exchange of good practices among Member States (Art 34(6)).
• Are there any good examples of effective implementation of these provisions and can we learn from these examples? Can you identify challenges with the implementation of these provisions and propose concrete proposals to facilitate the implementation and opportunities for simplification?
• Can you identify challenges with the implementation of the current overall EU legal framework applicable to aquaculture? Are there areas where this framework and/or its implementation can be improved or simplified? 
• How can the EU legal and policy framework better address emerging issues, such as climate change, nature restoration, development of aquaculture further offshore or combining aquaculture with other uses of space (e.g. offshore renewable energy, nature protection or restoration, agriculture, fisheries, etc.) and reducing reliance on wild capture for the production of aquafeed. 

Part II: Use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture; Organic aquaculture

• Regulation (EC) No 708/2007 on the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture aims at preventing the risk of negative impact of farmed species on wild species in case of escapes. What are the challenges with the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) N° 708/2007 concerning the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture? Can you provide concrete proposals to facilitate the implementation and opportunities for simplification of this regulation?   
• What are the challenges with the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products with respect to aquaculture? Can you provide concrete proposals to facilitate the implementation and opportunities for simplification of this Regulation to achieve the objective of a “significant growth of organic aquaculture” set in the Farm to Fork Strategy? 

Stakeholder participation

Industry 

• Copa-Cogeca
• European Mollusc Producers Association (EMPA)
• Federation of European Aquaculture producers (FEAP) 

Associations 

• Aquaculture Advisory Council (AAC)
• Associazone Piscicoltori Italiani (API), (IT)
• European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATIP)
• Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Association (HAPO)
• Market Advisory Council (MAC)
• PO Mosselcultuur, NL
• Polish Trout Breeders Association

Retailers

Spanish National Federation of Regional Associations of Fish and Frozen Products retailers (FEDEPESCA)

NGOs 

Eurogroup for Animals 

Member states 

• Finland (national authority), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
• Germany (regional authority, Bavaria), Institute for Fisheries at the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture
• Hungary (national authority), Ministry of Agriculture and Food
• Ireland (national authority), DG Fisheries
• Spain (national authority), Directora-General de Ordenación Pesquera y Acuicultura, Secretaría General de Pesca 
• Spain (regional authority, Andalucía), DG de Pesca, Acuicultura y Economía Azul

Summary conclusions

The Implementation Dialogue on EU Aquaculture Policy was held on 30 June 2026, from 9:30 to 13:00 in Brussels and online with the participation of 18 representatives from industry, associations, retailers, NGOs, advisory councils, and Member States.

The Implementation Dialogue aimed to get input on the implementation of 

1. the overall EU legislative framework applicable to aquaculture, including both Article 34 of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Regulation and other EU legislation applicable to aquaculture activities and 
2. the EU Regulation on the use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture and the EU Regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products, both containing specific provisions on aquaculture.

Some stakeholders stressed that the current voluntary approach under Article 34 in the CFP Regulation is not effective in terms of achieving the objective of the sustainable growth in the EU. The 'Strategic Guidelines for EU aquaculture' and the Member States’ Multi-annual National Strategic Plans are not efficiently implemented at Member State level due to lack of political prioritisation of this sector.  

Stakeholders also underlined that EU legislation that applies to aquaculture is very fragmented and mostly horizontal and that there is a lack of coherence between the different horizontal EU legislations. In addition, they do not take into consideration the specificities of the aquaculture sector. 

Several stakeholders called for a 'Common Aquaculture Policy' being a single uniform legislation on aquaculture including clear and coherent rules, and a harmonised and simplified licensing procedure. Several stakeholders also called for binding market-based growth targets.

A majority of participants emphasized that simplification of the licensing procedures is needed since current licensing procedures are lengthy and complex; simplification is also needed in reporting obligations under EU legislation because the administrative burden is too high. The strict application of environmental legislation and difficult access to space and water for aquaculture was cited by several stakeholders as obstacles for growth of the aquaculture sector.

One stakeholder (animal welfare NGO) insisted on binding species-specific EU animal welfare legislation and EFSA mandates for aquatic animal welfare.

Some participants voiced concerns about the lack of level playing field for EU aquaculture products with aquaculture products from third countries, as well as about the need to facilitate access to funding for small-scale aquaculture producers.

One participant asked for practical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) N° 708/2007.

Participants called for more flexibility in Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production, notably on the use of non-organic juveniles, the eligibility of Recirculation Aquaculture Systems (RAS), the use of oxygen in heat peaks, or the frequency in the use of veterinary medicines. They also stressed the need for quantitative objectives for growth. However, many participants argued that there was no sufficient demand that would pay a premium price for organic products, so they were no prospects for growth of organic production. Others proposed sectoral, instead of individual farm, certification. 

Commissioner Kadis thanked participants for their participation and informed them that the findings from this Implementation Dialogue will contribute to the preparation of the 'Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture', as well as to any possible steps following the evaluation of the CFP Regulation.