MEPs in the Fisheries Committee adopted their position on a Commission proposal to financially compensate EU fisheries and aquaculture hit by Russia’s war in Ukraine, unanimously with 24 votes.

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), according to the text adopted by MEPs, would support companies whose fishing operations have been jeopardised by the war, and fisheries and aquaculture producer organisations and operators whose economic viability is threatened due to market and supply chain problems caused by the Russian military aggression. These include a rise in the price of energy, raw materials and fish feed. EU governments would be able to use their remaining EMFF resources for the 2014-20 programming period to address the war consequences in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

MEPs amended the proposal to extend the compensation also to those companies whose economic viability has been impacted by the conflict and to the processing sector. 75% of co-financing from the Fund would cover their lost income and additional costs caused by disruption to supply chains after the start of the war on 24 February 2022.

Besides financial compensation, member states would also be allowed to use the state aid rules more flexibly. This would enable them to set up schemes to provide state aid to fisheries and aquaculture companies affected by the crisis.

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Following the vote, EP rapporteur Nuno Melo (EPP, PT) said: “The report calls for specific measures to alleviate…