Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD and Minister of State Timmy Dooley TD this afternoon successfully concluded the September meeting of the Agrifish Council, noting great progress made by the Irish Presidency on delivering an agreed Partial General Approach on a regulation setting out the conditions for the EU’s support for the common fisheries policy, the EU maritime and aquaculture policies and the European Ocean Pact for the 2028-2034 period.
Speaking after chairing the Council meeting, Minister Heydon said: “I am pleased with the great progress the Irish Presidency has made at this Council on really important matters for the future of EU agriculture and fisheries.”
“Today at Council, the Irish Presidency secured a partial general approach on the Common Fisheries Policy Multi-annual Financial Framework sectoral regulation. This is a really strong result for the sector. This regulation is crucial for the future funding of the European fisheries and aquaculture sector. Discussions over the last months and days have focussed on the elaboration of rules on support for investments in and aboard fishing vessels. This responded to calls by many Member States for real and sufficient opportunities to support the modernisation of the EU fleet to enable a successful energy transition, while protecting the environment and promoting generational renewal in the fishery sector. Today’s agreement gives us a very strong basis for shaping the future of EU support to our seafood sector. This represents the Council’s position in advance of trilogues which will take place with the EU parliament in due course.”
Commenting, Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries Timmy Dooley TD, who also attended the Agrifish Council meeting, said: “I am very happy with the outcome of today’s Council meeting, the agreement of Member State colleagues on a PGA recognises that it is in the best interests of our fishing and aquaculture sectors to deliver clarity on accessing funding for the future MFF and progress will enable timely national programmes to be developed.”
Also at Council today, the Irish Presidency convened a policy debate on the recently published proposal to amend the regulation governing the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). Member States broadly welcomed the objectives of the proposal, which seeks to simplify and streamline access to funding for fishermen and women and aquaculture producers.
As the successful conclusion of the annual fishing opportunities negotiations in the months ahead is one of the key objectives of the Irish Presidency, Council also discussed the management of fish stocks shared with counterparts in the Atlantic and North Sea to inform the Union’s position ahead of these forthcoming negotiations.
