What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report

Removed:3. Regrets that current legislative proposals focus on adopting hybrid engines and using hydrogen, ammonia and biofuels as replacements for fossil fuels; stresses that these alternatives, while promising, are not yet commercially viable at scale, at nearly twice the cost of diesel, and face technical, logistical and economic barriers that must be thoroughly assessed;

Added:K. whereas no single alternative fuel and technology currently offers a definitive, accessible and scalable solution for the full decarbonisation of the fishing fleet, but developments and progress must be actively supported through research, demonstration projects and targeted public and private investment to enable a just and timely transition;

Removed:4. Highlights that modernising the EU fleet to accommodate low-carbon technologies entails substantial investment and design challenges and requires significant space for storage and crew training; notes that renewing vessels over 12 metres could cost between EUR 22 billion and EUR 36 billion, excluding additional investments in port infrastructure for alternative fuels;

Added:L. whereas the Energy Transition Partnership, which launched in 2023, is a valuable platform designed to accelerate the energy transition in the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector and to bring together relevant stakeholders;

Removed:5. Regrets that, in some cases, funding is tied to the use of specific alternative fuels that are not yet available in some regions due to insufficient infrastructure, thereby creating obstacles to fleet modernisation;

Added:M. whereas the 8th Environment Action Programme outlines the EU’s commitment to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies within the EU;

Removed:Regulatory constraints

Added:N. whereas, although the small-scale coastal fleet represents 76 % of all active fishing vessels operating in the EU, it continues to face persistent challenges in fleet modernisation; whereas, despite the number of vessels, technological developments remain limited, notably in terms of suitable new hybrid engines, and the high cost of alternative fuels compared to fossil fuels distorts the transition process; whereas there is an urgent need for targeted actions to support the transition of small-scale fisheries;

Removed:6. Stresses that the CFP imposes strict capacity limits based on gross tonnage, restricting the installation of new propulsion systems and fuel storage technologies;

Added:O. whereas fishers, in particular small-scale operators, are essential allies in protecting marine ecosystems and should be fully involved in the implementation and monitoring of policies supporting the transition towards sustainable and low-impact fishing practices;

Removed:7. Emphasises that overly restrictive conditions under Articles 17 to 19 of EMFAF limit support for first vessel acquisition, engine replacement and vessel tonnage increases, even when aimed at improving safety or energy efficiency; underlines that easing these eligibility criteria could make support more accessible and useful in practical terms, without compromising sustainability objectives;

Added:P. whereas the common fisheries policy (CFP) seeks to guarantee the proper conservation and management of marine biological resources, and to ensure that fishing activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term and managed in a way that is consistent with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits, and contributing to food security;

Removed:8. Highlights that decarbonisation could pose risks to the competitiveness of the EU fisheries sector, as increased operational costs could erode the profitability of EU fleets compared to non-EU fleets; stresses that without adequate support, this imbalance may lead to increased reliance on imported seafood, undermining EU food security;

Added:Q. whereas the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) includes provisions to support decarbonisation, innovation and social sustainability in the fisheries sector, but its effective contribution depends on equitable access, reduced administrative burdens and full alignment with the objectives of a just and inclusive transition;

Removed:Policy recommendations

Added:R. whereas, in principle, improvements in safety and energy efficiency can be supported by EU funds under the EMFAF and in accordance with CFP rules; whereas, however, less restrictive conditions must be considered to ensure that the Member States and regions are able to meet the decarbonisation and modernisation needs of their fishing fleets, while avoiding overcapacity or overfishing at the level of individual segments or the entire national fleet;

Removed:9. Calls on the Commission to revise the vessel capacity definitions under the CFP in order to accommodate the space and design requirements of alternative fuel storage and propulsion systems;

Added:S. whereas the European Court of Auditors stated that ‘the EMFAF should not be used to fund actions increasing the fishing capacity of a vessel’;

Removed:10. Insists on the revision of Articles 17 to 19 of EMFAF to simplify eligibility criteria, notably by revising the 24-metre threshold and the current 40-year vessel age limit, in order to ensure that all essential vessels can transition effectively to sustainability, improve energy efficiency and enhance safety;

Added:T. whereas the implementation should respect the huge regional diversity of the EU fishing fleet and must not take a one-size-fits-all approach, especially in the outermost regions;

Removed:11. Stresses that fleet modernisation should also include improvements in working and living conditions on board; notes that better accommodation and facilities contribute to crew well-being and makes the profession more accessible to women and younger generations;

Added:U. whereas the outermost regions face specific constraints, such as remoteness, insularity, small markets and limited connectivity, which must be fully considered in the implementation of fisheries policies, including through adapted eligibility criteria under the EMFAF and flexibility in capacity and fleet renewal rules;

Removed:12. Calls on the Commission to ensure that decarbonisation policies do not compromise the competitiveness of the EU fisheries sector;

Added:V. whereas innovative fishing gear and techniques can play a key role in enhancing environmental sustainability and operational efficiency, and reducing fuel consumption, and needs to be supported through targeted public and private investment, knowledge sharing and faster evaluation processes to enable wider deployment;

Added:W. whereas innovative fishing gear has to progress from the prototype phase to the demonstration phase so that its efficiency and effectiveness can be tested under real use conditions, with the support of the EMFAF;

Added:X. whereas some current fishing techniques are highly fuel-intensive, generating considerable costs for the sector and resulting in a particularly high carbon footprint;

Added:Y. whereas the way some fishing techniques are applied has a variable impact on ocean carbon sequestration and, depending on several factors such as the type of fishery, may also be considered by science as sustainable and compatible with achieving seabed conservation objectives;

Added:Z. whereas it is crucial to support and invest in research and development into alternative engines and fuels and their effective use, improvements in vessels’ energy performance through retrofitting or innovative naval architecture, and the development of new sustainable fishing gear and methods, as well as technologies that reduce bycatch, improve fuel efficiency and minimise seabed disturbance, in order to support a just and science-based transition towards sustainable fisheries and to reach the objectives of EU fisheries legislation;

Added:AA. whereas the need to modernise, decarbonise and ensure a just energy transition also presents an opportunity to improve working and living conditions on board, which is essential to ensure the well-being of fishers, attract new generations to the sector and make the fisheries profession more inclusive, especially for women and young people;

Added:AB. whereas a successful just transition of the fisheries sector requires inclusive governance based on scientific evidence and the active involvement of relevant stakeholders, including fishers, coastal communities, researchers and regional authorities;

Added:AC. whereas sustainable inland and marine aquaculture, shellfish and algae farming can contribute to a broader decarbonisation of the EU aquatic food sector and reduce the carbon footprint of imports;

Added:Decarbonisation and energy transition

Added:1. Stresses that achieving climate neutrality by 2050, in line with the European Green Deal objectives, EU legislation and the UN Paris Agreement, requires a structured, inclusive and just transition across all EU fisheries and aquaculture sectors;

Added:2. Underlines that this transition must contribute meaningfully to the EU’s climate targets without undermining the resilience or social and economic stability of fishing communities while ensuring the protection of their livelihoods, in compliance with the three pillars of sustainable development;

Added:3. Stresses the need for a realistic and phased decarbonisation roadmap, based on the best available scientific knowledge and data, aligning technological developments, logistical improvements, the availability of alternative fuels and legislative timelines to ensure feasible and effective implementation across all fleet segments;

Added:4. Calls for coordinated and long-term policy frameworks, such as the priorities outlined in the Commission communication of 5 June 2025 entitled ‘European Ocean Pact’ (COM(2025)0281), to decarbonise fisheries and aquaculture and ensure that no fleet segment or region is left behind;

Added:5. Acknowledges that decarbonisation and the energy transition present a significant challenge for the fisheries sector, in particular for smaller operators with limited financial and technical capacity; recalls that achieving an inclusive and just transition requires removing structural barriers to access, including high entry costs, lack of training and insufficient port infrastructure; stresses that a one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable given the diversity of fleets, regions and socio-economic contexts across the EU; recalls that the small-scale coastal fleet accounted for 76 % of the active EU fleet in 2021, and for almost the entire fleet in the outermost regions of the EU;

Added:6. Stresses that there are significant constraints and obstacles to investment in modernisation, energy efficiency and sustainability within the EU fleet; emphasises, therefore, that consideration must be given not only to modernisation, but also to the possibilities of vessel renewal, considering the fleet’s high average age of 31.5 years, in order to achieve the EU’s decarbonisation objectives;

Added:7. Proposes, therefore, to promote the stimulation of renewal schemes in cooperation with private actors, with the support of national and EU funding, to facilitate fleet renewal with more modern, safe and environmentally friendly vessels, building attractiveness to better achieve generational renewal and to build trust among the fishing industry, public institutions, authorities and investors;

Added:8. Regrets that the current framework under the CFP and the EMFAF severely restricts the possibilities for public support, which is also deterring private investment in vessel renewal, preventing the necessary developments to decarbonise the EU fishing fleet; calls therefore for changes to be made to the current legislative framework; regrets the fact that current financial incentives are insufficient to meet the sector’s needs, and maintains that new mechanisms to provide financial leverage need to be developed and brought into play;

Added:9. Calls on the Commission to identify and establish additional and sufficient funding instruments beyond the EMFAF, including innovative financing models, to support the sector’s massive investment needs for decarbonisation and the energy transition;

Added:10. Recommends that the Commission support research into vessel design, including innovations beyond propulsion systems, such as improved hull hydrodynamics, lightweight composite materials and the replacement of hydraulic-mechanical systems with electric drives;

Added:11. Notes the possibility for the Member States, when technical solutions and sufficient financial support become available, to consider including decarbonisation efforts in the criteria for the allocation of fishing quotas to operators, in line with Article 17 of the CFP;

Added:12. Underlines that the energy transition must be inclusive and accessible to all segments of the sector and therefore needs to be fully addressed in the development of EU policy, in particular for small-scale and artisanal fishers, and supported by public investment, training and knowledge transfer;

Added:13. Recognises that, at present, no single propulsion or fuel technology offers a definitive solution for the decarbonisation and energy transition of the fisheries sector, owing to the wide diversity of vessel types, operational profiles and regional diversity at scale;

Added:14. Draws attention to the fact that a one-size-fits-all approach will not be appropriate as new technologies, such as alternative fuel solutions, will not be able to meet the needs of all fleets; emphasises the need to assess the energy situation of fishing vessels in order to maximise their efficiency and that the needs of individual fleets will need to be taken into consideration;

Added:15. Highlights the need to provide appropriate support and investments to avoid rising fuel costs and stresses that, until clean propulsion technologies or alternative energy sources are available on a commercial scale and the legislative framework is adapted to their implementation, no EU-level rules on fuel taxation should be introduced for the EU fishing fleet, as such measures would exacerbate the socio-economic challenges already faced by fishing companies due to high energy prices and inflation;

Added:16. Emphasises that a change of propulsion systems necessarily entails, in addition to the adaptation of vessels, major changes to port infrastructure and facilities;

Added:17. Calls on the Commission, in conjunction with the Member States, to consider schemes that better facilitate and support investments in clean energy, adapted to local realities and needs, to promote the energy transition and ensure a just transition towards the decarbonisation and energy transition of the fleet;

Added:18. Stresses that modernisation, decarbonisation and energy transition measures must reflect the need for tailored and accessible support schemes to ensure the environmental and economic viability of the fleet; underlines that it is essential for EU-funding, such as the EMFAF, together with State aid and private funds, to finance the necessary investments in ports, energy infrastructures and vessels, from design to delivery, in order to ensure needed space for decarbonisation and the energy transition, to increase social tonnage of vessels, with adequate working and resting areas for crew, and adequate crew training, as well as contributing to the sustainable exploitation of marine resources;

Added:19. Highlights that small-scale and artisanal fisheries generally operate with lower environmental and carbon impacts and therefore, depending on the region, play an essential role in the ecological and social fabric of those regions; calls on the Commission, in close cooperation with the Member States, to establish and implement support mechanisms for small-scale, artisanal and coastal fisheries that make it possible to tackle the specific problems faced by this part of the sector;

Added:20. Emphasises that financing needs require an in-depth study by the Commission and solutions that also include savings products for European citizens and specialist banks, such as maritime banks, to offer financing with the support of a European guarantee for the financial products concerned and support from the European Investment Bank;

Added:21. Calls for the full implementation of the CFP in order to ensure that fisheries and aquaculture activities are managed in a fair way, generate socio-economic benefits, contribute to the availability of food products and minimise the impact of their activities on habitats and marine ecosystems, while restoring and maintaining populations of harvested species above levels that produce maximum sustainable yield; considers that it must be applied taking into account the specific characteristics of the various sea basins; underlines the importance of fully mobilising the EMFAF in support of CFP implementation and the energy transition of the fleet; regrets that the CFP and the EMFAF impose strict capacity limits based on tonnage, restricting the installation of new propulsion systems and fuel storage, and hinder improvements in safety, working conditions and basic comfort for fishers;

Added:22. Recalls that the ongoing evaluation of the CFP, and its possible review, should assess and take into consideration the EU fleet’s situation and necessary improvements; highlights that it is the responsibility of the Member States to manage their national capacity ceilings, as provided for under the CFP; points out that, for the fishing sector, the application of these limits together with the restrictive approach of Member States has erected barriers to the decarbonisation and energy transition of the fleet; emphasises the importance of support through the CFP and the EMFAF to reach a sustainable EU fishing fleet in its three dimensions, backed by adequate and necessary funding in the future multiannual financial framework;

Added:23. Welcomes the fact that the current EMFAF introduces the possibility to contribute to improving working, living and safety conditions on EU vessels, without increasing their fishing capacity, with particular attention paid to in-shore and small-scale coastal fishing vessels; stresses that the EMFAF contributes to the sustainability of fisheries and the blue economy, contributing to the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14; expresses concerns, however, that these possibilities have not been widely used by Member States and believes that overly restrictive rules have created obstacles in this regard;

Added:24. Takes the view that reducing dependence on fossil fuels should not make the EU dependent on non-EU countries for the development, construction and modernisation of the EU fleet; points out that the EU’s strategic autonomy must be central to all policies, including decarbonisation, the energy transition and fleet modernisation, in particular as part of the future maritime industrial strategy;

Added:25. Calls for the maritime industrial strategy to include the fishing fleet within its objective of supporting the blue economy and securing or regaining Europe’s global leadership in maritime technologies;

Added:26. Emphasises that, with a view to finding specific, realistic ways of modernising and decarbonising the fleet, a comprehensive approach is necessary across the entire maritime value chain (including shipowners, ports, energy suppliers, shipyards, design consultancies, equipment suppliers, classification companies, financiers, researchers, etc.) and requires collaboration via initiatives and programmes fostering zero emission vessels and port infrastructure;

Added:27. Expresses, in this regard, the importance of measures to stimulate demand for sustainable maritime fuels, such as using EU policy instruments and targets, and of incentivising and facilitating the deployment of necessary infrastructure;

Added:28. Welcomes, in that regard, the work of the Energy Transition Partnership for EU fisheries and aquaculture, launched by the Commission in 2023, which is intended to serve as a collaborative platform designed to accelerate the energy transition in the EU fisheries and aquaculture sectors; highlights the importance of collaboration and dialogue under this partnership, but emphasises that it must lead to concrete improvements in the conditions needed for decarbonisation in order for targets to be reached;