The measures include the possibility for governments to raise the aid cap to €100,000 for every vessel over a three-year period, up from the current €30,000. The aid would however still be capped at €100,000 for every fishing firm.
The move came as fisheries ministers from seven EU countries, meeting in Venice on Tuesday, called for an increase in aid for their beleaguered fishing industry. France and Italy in particular had been calling for emergency measures to be taken and for the aid ceiling to be raised to 100,000 euro.
"According to data from the European Commission, the price of diesel bought by EU fishermen has increased 240% since 2004," said ministers from Italy, France, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain in a statement.
"We have a serious crisis in the fisheries sector because of high fuel costs, so we need quick measures to save this sector," said Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia after the meeting, Reuters reported.
The Commission's move appears to be a U-turn compared with its previous policy stance. Earlier this month, the EU executive warned against starting a "vicious circle" whereby if lower taxes are approved for fishermen, "road haulers, taxi drivers and so on will seek the same special treatment" (EurActiv 02/06/08).
In Brussels, Belgian farmers and taxi drivers are staging protests on Wednesday to demand just that. A delegation of farmers will be received by the head of cabinet of EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel. Rising fuel and food costs will also be at the centre of an EU summit to take place in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (19-20 June).
Joe Borg, the EU fisheries commissioner, will present the draft measures in detail at a meeting of agricultural ministers on 24 June. Other elements will include:
- emergency aid for temporary cessation of activities;
- decommissioning aid for fleets that accept substantial restructuring;
- aid to encourage a switch towards more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly fishing methods, and;
- market measures to increase the value of fish.
