SPEECH:

"BEYOND 2020: SUPPORTING EUROPE'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES"

EMFF STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE

12 October, 2017

Dear Ms Meissner (Dear Gesine),

Dear Mr Petron (Dear Deputy Secretary General),

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning and welcome.

Mythanks to the Estonian Presidency for hosting us here in the beautiful city of Tallinn, and for helping us put together such a marvellous few days with stakeholders from around Europe.

Ahead of us lie two days of intense and exciting discussions. Together, we willsee how best we can help coastal communities across Europe continue to thrive in the years after 2020."We" means not only the EU, but notably also our Member States and regions. They are the ones implementing the development strategies and allocating the funds to the beneficiaries within the overall EU-framework.

But before we look to the future, allow me to take a step back and say a few words on the 'now'. And that 'now' is the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund – the EMFF.

When the European Union adopted the EMFF in 2014, agreeing to set aside 7 billion euros over 7 years, we were sending a clear message. A message that we believed in the value of European fisheries and maritime sectors - for the European economy,for Europe's coastal communities and for Europe's social fabric.

That message remains valid today.

And more than 3 years on, we can start to take stock of where we are.

[EMFF – state of play]

First, the good news.

To date, the EMFF has helped mobilise more than 1 billion euros of public and private investment. By the end of last year, nearly 6500 projects had been selected for financing.

More than half of them are designed to help SMEs in fisheries and aquaculture become more competitive.

More than a third are also designed to preserve and protect the marine environment, and to promote resource efficiency.

In addition, the Commission has disbursed over 250 million euros for projects supporting blue growth.

We have also seen, more than ever before, how the EMFF is helping to support the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy. Whether it is by helping fishermen to adjust to the landing obligation or to change their gear towards more sustainable fisheries, the EMFF has been instrumental in putting our ambitious reform into practice.

The EMFF has not justmade the fisheries sector more sustainable; it has also made itmuch more competitive. In 2009, the EU fleet was barely breaking even. Today, itis largely a profitable business, generating nearly 800 billion euros in net profit in 2015 alone.

But this is not the full picture. Nearly half of all small-scale coastal fleets – 53 out of 135 – are still making losses. This is especiallytrue in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, where stocks are in bad shape. Entire coastal communities risk devastating losses in income and jobs.

The EMFFhas been designed to pay particular attention to small-scale fleets.But uptake so far has been insufficient. Spending is slow, far slower than for the other European Union Structural Funds.

I know that there are many reasons for this. Regulations were adopted late, and programmes were slow in starting off. Delays in project selection and complex delivery also played their part.

This conference also provides an opportunity for us to be self-critical, and to see where the EMFF has succeeded and what it hasn't been able to do.

But I will be very frank: we are now past the mid-way point in the programming period. Our spending will be closely scrutinised by both EU and national budgetary authorities. And a low use of EMFF funds today weakens our casewhen we push for continued funding at similar levels tomorrow.

So here is my first request to you today: please speed up your efforts to get your EMFF programmes up and running as soon as possible! And I address this request primarily to the Member States who have the opportunity to channel EMFF programmes towards coastal communities and small scale coastal fleets.

[Support beyond 2020]

But what about the future beyond 2020?

As European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in his State of the Union speech last month, the wind is back in Europe's sails. We need to use this wind to stay on course.

Our goal remains the same: making fisheries more sustainable and embracing the opportunities offered by blue growth. But the last few years have presented a number of important challenges for many coastal communities: environmental degradation, pollution, erosion, climate change – but also a concern for good, well trained, well-paid jobs and steady economic growth.

So we need to think… how can we manage these challenges in the long term?

How do we help communities rebuild their fisheries resources and fish more sustainably, particularly along the Mediterranean shores?

How do we encourage them to take advantage of blue growth opportunities, so that they offer jobs to the new generations and new income opportunities to those who wish to diversify their activities?

How do we address environmental and climate change concerns?

How can we improve the socio-economic status of the stakeholders in our coastal communities?

And here is my second request to you today. Think about these challenges from your perspective – whether you're representing the fisheries or aquaculture sectors, the blue economy, civil society, or local government. And use this conference to tell us how you think the European Union can help. And I say "help", because the responsibility for supporting their coastal communities lies – of course – first and foremost with the respective Member States.

But also think about delivery in support of these communities. What works in the EMFF? What doesn't? What needs to change? Where can we improve?

As we start thinking about the kind of financial support needed beyond the current EMFF programming period, your input is essential.

We need to reflect on the past and what we have – or have not – been able to achieve.

We need to critically examine where EU money makes the biggest difference, and what form our support should take.

All this against an increasingly complex budgetary background.

So we need your ideas and involvement. To help us build a vision of what is needed for the future.And I promise that the Commission will be listening very closely to you over the next two days.

[closing]

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me conclude with a third and final request. If you have time over the next two days, please make sure you have a look at the poster display of EMFF success stories that has been set up outside this room.

Even better to go to the DG MARE and the EMFF website.

They showcase the very best of EMFF funding – in the blue economy, in fisheries, in aquaculture and in community-led local development. They are inspiring stories from all around the EU. And I hope they inspire you too!

Again, Aas President Juncker said in his State of the Union address, we now have a window of opportunity, but it will not stay open forever.

Let us make the most of the momentum. Let us catch the wind in our sails!

Thank you.

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