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Oceans and fisheries
News announcement14 March 2023Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

Slovakia will receive €20 million from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund 2021-2027

Aquaculture in Slovakia
Aquaculture in Slovakia

Following the adoption of the Partnership Agreement 2021-2027 with Slovakia, the Commission has adopted the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Programme for Slovakia, to implement the EU common fisheries policy (CFP) and EU policy priorities outlined in the European Green Deal. The total financial allocation for the Slovak programme 2021-2027 is €20.4 million over the next six years, of which the EU contribution accounts for €15.2 million.

The EMFAF Programme for Slovakia will help build a stronger aquaculture and processing sector in Slovakia, support innovation in productive investments, help the decarbonisation of the sectors by improving their energy efficiency, improve the market organisation and increase profitability and sustainability of the entire market chain, enhancing the role of aquaculture farms as providers of environmental services, while also ensuring the improved traceability of fish products.

Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said:

I am happy to announce the adoption of the EMFAF programme for Slovakia. The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund supports innovative projects that contribute to the sustainable exploitation and management of aquatic resources, also in landlocked countries. The new Slovak Programme will give the opportunity to the aquaculture and processing sectors in Slovakia to invest in building a resilient, sustainable and low-carbon sector, in line with the EU Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030.

Supported activities

10% of the programme’ s allocation will be dedicated to sustainable fisheries, 83% will be invested in sustainable aquaculture and in processing and marketing. The programme sets 52% of the allocation to supporting activities contributing to the EU’s climate objectives.

More concretely, the programme will support, among other things:

  • Sustainable fisheries: protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems; regular collection of aquaculture data and the introduction of upgraded data collection tools and technology; improvement of quality in the traceability of products, development of new methodologies and procedures.
  • Sustainable aquaculture and processing: investments in sustainable aquaculture and processing projects; promotion of innovative productive investments and reduce the impact of climate change; decarbonisation and energy efficiency support; recirculation systems, improved products and processing technologies; digitalisation;  investments in species diversification; compensations for the environmental services of aquaculture farms; compensations in case of health crises.
EMFAF Slovakia pie chart

Main expected outcomes for 2021- 2027

The Slovak EMFAF programme will contribute to the EU policy priorities outlined in the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.

The programme will support the resilience of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, with adapting these two sectors to the changing context. Among the actions intended towards resilience, there will be the creation of a Producer Organisation and the promotion of a shorter supply chain; maintenance and preservation of biodiversity; diversifying business activities, sources of income and products; ensuring energy efficiency and product quality; modernisation of fish farming and processing facilities and compensations for unforeseen events.

It will support the green transition of the sector with projects enhancing resource and energy efficiency and decarbonisation of aquaculture and processing, fishpond farming that provides important environmental services (protection of biodiversity and habitats), innovation projects aimed at green farming and processing to reduce the carbon and ecological footprint of aquaculture, recirculation systems, diversification to reduce dependence on a limited number of species; data collection to assess achievement of EU and SK environmental objectives, monitoring of nutrients and undesirable substances in water, carbon footprint measurement and the use of antimicrobials in aquaculture, investments to optimise water use and use of alternative feed.

The digital transition of the Slovak aquaculture and processing sectors will include a wide range of innovative solutions such as digital traceability of aquaculture products, transfer of innovation into private investment, improving digital skills, promoting digital measurement systems, and development of smart supply chains.

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

EMFAF programmes 2021 – 2027

Common fisheries policy (CFP)

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 [link]

Aquaculture guidelines

@VSinkevicius

@EU_MARE

Details

Publication date
14 March 2023
Author
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries