10European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
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Committee’s assessment |
Politically important |
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Cleared from scrutiny; further information requested; drawn to the attention of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee |
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Document details |
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund |
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Legal base |
Articles 42, 43(2), 91(1), 100(2), 173(3), 175, 188, 192(1), 194(2), 195(2) and 349 TFEU; Ordinary legislative procedure; QMV |
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Department |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
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Document Number |
(39938), 9627/18 + ADDs 1–2, COM(18) 390 |
Summary and Committee’s conclusions
10.1The EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) targets EU funding to support implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the EU’s maritime policy and the EU’s international ocean governance commitments. The UK does not expect to participate in the EMFF after any post-Brexit implementation period ending on 31 December 2020. In the event of no Brexit deal, the Government has guaranteed EMFF funding until the end of 2020.65 It recently confirmed, as set out below, that domestic funding schemes will also be in place from 2021.
10.2The Commission proposed legislation last summer establishing the EMFF for the 2021–27 Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF). As requested by Member States, the Fund has been simplified. Under this approach, it will be for Member States to draw up their programme, identifying the most appropriate means for achieving the priorities of the EMFF.
10.3The Committee first considered the European Commission’s proposal for the post-2020 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) at its meeting of 10 October 2018.66 Since then, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Eustice MP) has written on three occasions.
10.4In his most recent letter,67 he draws the Committee’s attention to the Environment Secretary’s announcement on 10 December 2018 that an additional £37.2 million of funding would be made available to support the seafood sector during the next two financial years. This, says the Minister, illustrates the Government’s commitment to continued support across the sector.
10.5Furthermore, the Environment Secretary announced that the Government would put in place four new domestic funding schemes comparable to the EMFF to support the growth and development of the seafood sector from 2021. Each devolved administration will lead on its own scheme. The Minister hopes that this reassures the Committee that there will be sufficient support in place for the seafood sector post-EMFF.
10.6Following the EU and UK negotiation of a draft Withdrawal Agreement, the Minister updated68 the Committee, noting that the UK could not participate in the future EMFF even if the implementation period were extended beyond 31 December 2020 as the UK would be considered a third country for the purposes of EU programmes.
10.7Regarding the potential impact of the Fund on the UK as a third country, the Minister indicated in his letter69 of 28 October 2018 that potential UK involvement in that context was yet to be decided. Until the publication of Member States’ Operational Programmes, it would be difficult to assess the potential impact on the UK of activities funded outside the EU.
10.8Future EU-UK cooperation on control and enforcement, data collection and processing, maritime surveillance and coastguard cooperation—all activities which can be financially supported by the EMFF even where they take place outside the EU—would be a matter of negotiation, said the Minister.
10.9Similarly, support and arrangements for maritime spatial planning, sea basin strategies and maritime regional cooperation—all of which can also be supported under the EMFF—are a matter for negotiations with the EU or other relevant countries. The UK will retain its autonomy to determine and manage what takes place within its territorial area.
10.10Turning to the negotiations on the Commission’s proposal, the Minister notes in his most recent letter that Member States have welcomed efforts to simplify the regulation. Some Member States have been concerned about the proposal for an action plan for small scale coastal fisheries, a sea basin SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and an action plan for the outermost regions where appropriate. Some Member States would like the primary focus of the EMFF to be delivery of the CFP, given the financial resources available. Given that the next EMFF is similar in scale and focus to the current programme, and the nature of issues raised by other Member States, the UK does not plan to make any formal comments at this stage.
10.11We are grateful for the information provided and welcome the recent commitments by the Environment Secretary (Rt Hon Michael Gove MP) regarding future funding to support the sector. We are now content to clear the document from scrutiny, but would welcome an update on the progress of negotiations as they move towards a conclusion. This chapter is drawn to the attention of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
Full details of the documents
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund: (39938), 9627/18 + ADDs 1–2, COM(18) 390.
Previous Committee Reports
Thirty-ninth Report HC 301–xxxviii (2017–19), chapter 4 (10 October 2018).
65 Funding from EU programmes guaranteed until the end of 2020, HM Treasury, 24 July 2018.
67 Letter from George Eustice MP to Sir William Cash MP, dated 20 January 2019 (received 23 January 2019).
68 Letter from George Eustice MP to Sir William Cash MP, dated 12 December 2018 (received 18 December 2018).
69 Letter from George Eustice MP to Sir William Cash MP, dated 28 October 2018 (received 30 October 2018).
Published: 12 February 2019