On 11 May 2026, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament tabled a set of amendments to the Lövin report on the multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea, pushing back against the report's environmental orientation and advocating for greater flexibility for the fishing industry. The amendments, filed as Amendment 33 and related proposals, seek to reduce prescriptive management burdens and rebalance the focus from strict ecological targets toward socio-economic realities.
The amendments represent a targeted pushback against the report's emphasis on strict enforcement of the landing obligation and fisheries control regulation, which the ECR views as overly rigid. The most critical technical change is the shift from using BMSY (biomass) as the primary reference point to FMSY (fishing mortality rate), a move that would focus management on controlling the rate of fishing rather than maintaining a specific stock size, generally seen as more flexible for the industry.
Trade protection introduced
A new dimension added by the ECR is a call for the Commission to assess the competitive position of EU Baltic flatfish producers in the context of increased imports, linking fisheries management to external trade policy. This was absent from the original report by rapporteur Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA).
The amendments also delete entire paragraphs calling for stronger implementation of the landing obligation, the fisheries control regulation, and comprehensive genetic mapping of stocks, signaling a rejection of what the ECR perceives as excessive regulatory oversight and data collection burdens.
Precautionary flexibility reinforced
The ECR strengthens language against "rigid or automatic reductions" and reiterates that MSY management should be "complemented" by other factors, ensuring socio-economic realities are not ignored in the name of scientific targets. On predation management, the group removes the phrase "locally anchored" from calls for measures on cormorants and seals, potentially allowing for more top-down or broader regional action.
Impact on stakeholders
The amendments, if adopted, would have a moderate impact on several stakeholders. EU Baltic fishers would benefit from reduced regulatory burdens and a more flexible management framework, potentially lowering compliance costs and allowing higher catches in the short term. However, environmental NGOs and conservation groups would likely see the shift from BMSY to FMSY and the deletion of enforcement provisions as weakening ecosystem protection and risking overfishing. National fisheries authorities would face less prescriptive EU rules, gaining more discretion in implementation, but may also face pressure from industry to relax measures. EU consumers could see stable or increased supply of Baltic fish, but potentially at the cost of long-term stock sustainability.
Institutional follow-up
The amendments will be considered by the European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries before a plenary vote. The Council will then take a position, and trilogue negotiations may follow if the Parliament adopts a mandate. The ECR's proposals are likely to face opposition from the S&D, Greens/EFA, and The Left groups, while finding some alignment with the EPP and Renew Europe on socio-economic balance and subsidiarity.