The European Commission has proposed a Council decision to extend the EU's position in the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Fisheries until 30 June 2038, maintaining the existing framework for fisheries relations with the United Kingdom. The proposal, published on 23 June 2026 as COM(2026)293, amends Council Decision 2021/1765, which originally set the EU's position for the period 2021-2026. A review in July 2023 found no need for amendments and no implementation issues.
The extension runs to 30 June 2038, with a mandatory review by 31 December 2036. The Council may revise the position on a Commission proposal following that review. The Specialised Committee on Fisheries, established under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), can adopt binding decisions and non-binding recommendations under Article 508(2) of the TCA. Examples of acts already adopted include Decision 1/2025 (19 June 2025) on access arrangements from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2038, and Recommendation 1/2026 (22 April 2026) on monitoring, control and surveillance.
The legal basis for the proposal is Article 43 TFEU (common fisheries policy) in conjunction with Article 218(9) TFEU. The European Parliament must be immediately and fully informed of the Committee's activities. The proposal keeps the existing framework unchanged, providing continuity for EU fisheries stakeholders, including fishing fleets and national administrations, while ensuring a review mechanism to adapt to future developments. The Council is expected to adopt the decision in the coming months.