Europêche backs Parliament’s CFP reform call

Europêche has fully endorsed the resolution adopted on 17 September by the European Parliament on the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy and its follow-up.

The association said the vote sends a clear cross-party message that Europe’s fisheries policy must be updated, and that the European Commission must now bring forward the necessary legislative changes without delay.

Javier Garat, president of Europêche, said: “The Parliament has recognised what European fishers have been saying for years: better implementation of outdated rules is not enough.

“The CFP needs a targeted legislative reform. We fully support Parliament’s resolution and expect the Commission to respect this democratic mandate by presenting concrete legislative proposals without delay.”

According to Europêche, the current CFP was designed for a different political and economic reality. It does not adequately address the consequences of Brexit, climate change, the energy crisis, growing competition for maritime space, Europe’s dependence on seafood imports or the need to renew and decarbonise the EU fishing fleet. Several of its rules, including the landing obligation and the present definition of fishing capacity, have also proved unworkable or counterproductive.

The Parliament’s resolution joins the call made by the Council in November 2025, when 13 member states declared that a timely and ambitious reform of the CFP was urgent and necessary. With Parliament and member states now pointing in the same direction, Europêche argues the Commission can no longer postpone legislative action.

The association particularly welcomes Parliament’s demand for a policy that gives equal weight to environmental, economic and social sustainability, supporting food security, viable businesses, safe careers, generational renewal and the energy transition while conserving stocks on the basis of sound science.

Garat concluded: “There is no justification for further delay. Europe needs a CFP that works at sea, not only on paper.”