Evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy

Until April 21, 2025. The European Commission is holding a public consultation subject to an evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). It is intended to provide an overview of the performance of the 2014-2024 Common Fisheries Policy Regulation, its instruments and activities.

The EC plans to assess whether the stated goal – to ensure fisheries and aquaculture are environmentally sustainable and managed with economic and social benefits – has been achieved. The EC invites all interested parties to submit opinions and comments on the implementation of the CFP regulation.

General context

The fisheries policy was incorporated into EU law in 1958, and was originally part of the Common Agricultural Policy. At the time, its goals were to: increase productivity, stabilize the market, provide a source of healthy food and ensure reasonable prices for consumers. Over time, it evolved into a separate policy with its own legislation and structural framework, including the Common Market Organization introduced in 1970.

As more and more countries with significant fish stocks and fleets joined the EU, the policy had to address issues such as conservation and international relations.

This resulted in EU member states designating a 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone in 1977 to ensure jurisdiction over fish stocks. It is open to all member states, in accordance with the principle of equal access. In addition, there was a need to manage shared resources and find a way to distribute fishing opportunities among the countries involved.

Another important step was the adoption of the following legislation by the Council in 1983:

• Regulation (EEC) No. 170/83 establishing rules for the management of common resources
• Regulation (EEC) No. 171|/83 establishing technical measures for the protection of these resources.

In 2013, the reform of the CFP Regulation (Common Fisheries Policy Regulation (EU) No. 1380/2013) brought together the social, economic, environmental, food and political dimensions of EU fisheries for the first time.

The fisheries and oceans package adopted by the EC in February 2023 presented information on the implementation of the CFP to date and launched a dialogue on the key challenges currently facing the European fisheries sector.

Objective of the Common Fisheries Policy

The goal of the CFP is to ensure that fisheries and aquaculture are environmentally sustainable in the long term and managed in a way that is consistent with economic, social goals and that guarantees access to food.

To ensure sustainable exploitation of fish stocks, the CFP is based on an ecosystem approach. This is to minimize the negative impact of fishing activities on the marine environment.

An ecosystem approach to fisheries management

Sustainable fisheries management is realized through the implementation of an integrated ecosystem-based approach that includes managing fishery resources in a way that contributes to environmental protection and sustains fishermen’s livelihoods.

The CFP defines an ecosystem approach to fisheries management as an integrated approach to fisheries management within ecologically relevant boundaries that seeks to manage the use of natural resources, taking into account fisheries and other human activities, while protecting both the biological richness and biological processes necessary to secure the composition, structure and functioning of an ecosystem’s habitats, by taking into account knowledge and uncertainties about the biotic, abiotic and human components of ecosystems.

Evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy

The current situation based on studies, reports and relating to all parts of the CFP regulation is contained in the EC Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication on the Functioning of the CFP (COM/2023/103 SWD).

The assessment will analyze the adequacy of the existing CFP Regulation in relation to its objectives, and identify new needs. Consistency between the CFP Regulation and environmental regulations will also be analyzed. The evaluation of the CFP Regulation is to be based on dialogue and linked to the evaluation of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the mid-term evaluation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and the evaluation of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements.

For the purposes of the assessment, the EC will use the annual communication and accompanying working document addressed to the European Parliament and the Council Sustainable fishing in the EU: current situation and directions for 2024, including information on the state of stocks, the fleet and socio-economic performance.

Consultation on the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy

The purpose of trtive consultations until April 21, 2025 is to gather information and experience on the implementation of the CFP regulation. The EC is encouraging all organizations, public bodies and the public to participate in the public consultation. Submitted opinions, the EC indicates, will be taken into account in further work on the initiative.

A summary report will be prepared from the consultations. Their results are expected to be reflected in the final version of the report that the EC will prepare after the consultation.

The work is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026.