Commission activates emergency funding to protect fishing and aquaculture from the crisis in the Middle East
Today, the European Commission has activated the crisis mechanism of the European Maritime, Fishing and Aquaculture Fund (Feampa), which allows Member States to grant financial compensation to fishermen, aquaculture producers, processors and retailers whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East. This measure, which applies retroactively from 28 February 2026, reflects the serious impact of hostilities in the region on the EU’s fishing and aquaculture sector.
The financial support activated under this Decision comes from the existing EUMF allocation of each EU country under its 2021-2027 national programme, with the EU co-financing a share of the eligible expenditure. Member States may decide to offer this support and are responsible for managing and directly cashering operators.
The emergency aid measures introduced today were pre-allocated as part of the 2021-2027 Feampa program, leaving about €760 million out of the initial €1.3 billion still immediately available.
The crisis also highlights the structural vulnerability of a sector dependent on fossil fuels. The acceleration of the energy transition remains essential for the competitiveness, resilience and long-term profitability of the EU’s fishing and aquaculture sector.
Allow compensation to protect the sector
Hostilities in the Middle East have raised the price of energy and rate materials, significantly increasing operating costs and reducing profit margins throughout the EU’s fishing and aquaculture sector. Part of the Union’s fishing fleet has already ceased operations due to reduced profitability. The aquaculture and processing sectors are also affected.
As part of the mechanism activated, Member States can provide two types of crisis support:
- financial compensation to operators in the fishing and aquaculture sector for loss of income and additional costs resulting from the current market disruption, including additional costs resulting from rising energy prices;
- Storage assistance for fishery product producer organisations that implement the storage mechanism as part of the common market organization. This mechanism allows producer organizations to temporarily store members’ products in order to stabilize market prices.
The Feampa crisis mechanism is a temporary measure. Assistance can be provided for expenses incurred until the end of 2026.
Additional economic support through state aid
The Feampa crisis support adopted today will soon be supplemented by additional support measures that Member States can offer in the form of state aid.
The Commission shall consult Member States with a view to obtaining their opinion on a targeted and temporary framework for dealing with the effects of the crisis on some of the most exposed sectors of the economy, including the primary production of fishery products such as landing, handling or initial processing of fish. The Commission intends to adopt the temporary framework by the end of April.
Background
The situation in the Middle East since February 28, 2026 has seriously disrupted global energy and commodity markets. Attacks on energy infrastructure and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have caused a sudden and significant rise in world oil prices and disrupted trade flows between the Middle East region and the European Union. These disruptions have a material and lasting impact on the EU fishing and aquaculture sector.
The Commission may activate the crisis support mechanism when an exceptional event leads to significant market disruption. Member States may then decide to compensate operators in their country. A comparable activation was carried out in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
For more information
European Maritime Affairs, Fishing and Aquaculture Fund (Feampa)
the Commission consults the Member States on a proposal for a temporary crisis framework
Statement by President von der Leyen on the impact of the situation in the Middle East on the European Union
source : Kurzy CZ
