Following the adoption of the Partnership Agreement 2021-2027 with Romania, the Commission has adopted the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) programme for Romania, to implement the EU common fisheries policy (CFP) and EU policy priorities outlined in the European Green Deal. The total financial allocation for the Romanian Programme 2021-2027 is €232 million over the next six years, of which the EU contribution accounts for €162.4 million. The fund will promote the sustainable growth of Romanian aquaculture and fishing sector.
Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said:
I am delighted to announce the adoption of the EMFAF programme for Romania, which will support sustainable investments in aquaculture and fisheries, accelerating Romania’s green and digital transition of the sector. The programme will also contribute to the CFP and EU policy priorities in the Black Sea outlined in the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies by supporting the protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems and supporting the energy transition of the Romanian economy.
Supported activities
24% of the Union contribution will be dedicated to sustainable fisheries, 47% will be invested in sustainable aquaculture and in processing and marketing and 23% will be dedicated to sustainable blue economy in coastal, island and internal regions, all contributing to the EU’s environmental and climate objectives.
More concretely, the programme will support, among others: investments to comply with the landing obligation and upgrading the fishing infrastructure; the EU and GFCM fisheries conservation policies; energy efficiency and decarbonisation in fisheries and aquaculture; temporary cessation linked with conservation policy objectives and public health crisis; support for small scale coastal fisheries; investments in sustainable aquaculture projects; support for new producer organisations; compensations for environmental services; fisheries control and data collection to implement the common fisheries policy (CFP); innovation; sustainable development of coastal and inland areas in the context of blue economy through Local Action Groups (LAG).
Main expected outcomes for 2021-2027
The Romanian EMFAF programme will contribute to the EU policy priorities outlined in the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, by moving towards more ambitious and innovative actions and committing to EU horizontal priorities.
The programme will support the resilience of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors by using compensation schemes to support the relevant blue economic sectors from future crises.
The Romanian EMFAF programme is also supporting the green transition with investments on actions aimed at improving fishing infrastructure, gear selectivity, decarbonisation and energy efficiency. The financial support is aimed at the development and establishment of marine protected areas and at the collection of marine litter.
The digital transition of the Romanian fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors is emphasised as a key area of the programme, including a wide range of innovative solutions from means of control and collection of fisheries data to new IT technologies applied to aquaculture production and processing.
The EMFAF programme benefits from a good collaboration between the European Commission, national managing authorities and local partners. It will support community-led local development strategies (CLLDs), a bottom-up approach to policy development that encourages local people to form a Local Action Group (LAG) and get involved.
Moreover, the Romanian EMFAF programme will support the enhancing of the economic diversification in the local context through the development of coastal fisheries, aquaculture and a sustainable blue economy.
The programme will support the objectives of the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Romanian Prioritised Action Framework through marine environment actions, such as the development of the management of marine protected areas, the monitoring of marine and maritime habitats and species and the promotion of scientific knowledge in line with the EU’s Birds and Habitats Directives.
Background
The EMFAF runs from 2021 to 2027 and supports the EU common fisheries policy (CFP), the EU maritime policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance. The fund helps achieve sustainable fisheries and conserve marine biological resources.
Article 8 of the EMFAF Regulation (EU) 2021/1139 requires Member States to produce a national implementation programme for the EMFAF. This operational programme focuses on EU priorities, laying down the strategy and investment priorities, including the indicative annual financial allocation for each priority. The programme is subject to approval by the European Commission.
More information
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy
Details
- Publication date
- 1 December 2022
- Author
- Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries