On 3 June 2026, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis presented the long-awaited evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Regulation to the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee (PECH), alongside the announcement of a new ocean observation initiative called OceanEye, adopted by the College earlier that day.
OceanEye aims to create a comprehensive operational Ocean Observation System by integrating existing European marine knowledge services into an operational European Digital Ocean System, fed by both in situ and satellite observations. The initiative also includes launching an international alliance to support the Global Ocean Observing System and global capacity development. Kadis called on the Parliament and the PECH committee for support.
Turning to the CFP evaluation, Kadis recalled that the current regulation was adopted in 2013 when EU fisheries faced critical overfishing and poor economic conditions. The evaluation, based on comprehensive data collected over the evaluation period, shows mixed results. On the positive side, the proportion of stocks fished at sustainable levels increased from 50% in 2014 to 63% in 2022, and knowledge and governance were strengthened through better data collection and scientific advice. However, the objective of maintaining fish stocks above Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) has not been met across the board, and progress on ecosystem-based approaches has been too slow.
The evaluation found that the landing obligation, as designed in 2013, did not lead to relevant changes in fishing practices or catch composition. Socio-economic performance of the fishing sector fell short of expectations, with persistent challenges including an ageing fleet, high energy dependency, rising operational costs, difficulty attracting young generations, and poor conditions for small-scale fleets. Profitability has not improved as expected due to slow stock recovery and incomplete fleet capacity adjustment.
Aquaculture in the EU remains too small in scale, held back by administrative burden, complex licensing procedures, difficult access to space, and unfair competition from third countries. The processing sector is more profitable but structurally vulnerable due to high dependence on imports for raw material, exposing it to external supply and price shocks. The EU's increasing import dependency is driven by slow stock recovery, a mismatch between catches and consumption, and slow aquaculture growth.
On the external dimension, the evaluation notes level-playing-field concerns from imports produced under different standards, which the EU has addressed through Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, and mandatory consumer information requirements. Governance has been strengthened through improved data and scientific advice, but shortcomings in control, enforcement, and compliance persist, with the revised Fisheries Control Regulation seen as an important milestone.
Kadis emphasised that the evaluation confirms the 2013 approach reconciling environmental, economic, and social sustainability remains valid, but there is growing demand to quantify socio-economic impacts and integrate them into scientific advice. A central conclusion is that conservation objectives are the basis for long-term socio-economic prosperity. External disruptions like COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, demographic ageing, geopolitical shifts, and climate change increasingly affect fisheries and aquaculture, while Brexit has brought structural change.
On the follow-up, Kadis stated that the evaluation is a diagnosis, and political decisions on whether to amend legislation will depend on feedback from the Parliament, Member States, and stakeholders. He had already presented the results to Member States at an informal Fisheries Ministerial meeting weeks earlier. Based on this, the Commission will develop a Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture, including an External Action Strategy and Energy Transition Roadmap, in early autumn. The findings will also feed into upcoming initiatives: the Communications on Coastal and Island Communities (next week), the Ocean Act (by end of 2026), and negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Parallel simplification initiatives include a call for evidence on multiannual fisheries management plans launched the previous week, and internal preparations to align the EMFAF Regulation with the new WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies.
Kadis did not present concrete legislative proposals or numerical targets in the speech, instead framing the evaluation as a diagnostic phase that will inform future policy decisions. The policy orientation remains broadly supportive of the existing CFP framework while acknowledging the need for adjustments, particularly on socio-economic aspects, energy transition, and simplification. The speech did not address foreign-policy shifts beyond reaffirming the EU's role as a frontrunner for sustainable fisheries internationally.