European Commission approves Malta's programme for Maritime Fisheries fund

The document allows Malta to invest €22,627,422 million under the operational programme.

The Parliamentary Secretariat for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds has announced that the European Commission has approved Malta’s Operational Programme European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) for the 2014-2020 financial periods. 

The document allows Malta to invest €22,627,422 million under the operational programme.

The EMFF for the period 2014-2020 provides funding to the fishing and aquaculture industry and coastal communities to help them adapt to changing conditions in the sector and become economically resilient and ecologically sustainable.

The EMFF is one of five European Structural and Investment (ESI) funds, which seek to promote growth and job-based recovery in Europe. 

It focuses on the long-term strategic objectives of two policies: the Common Fisheries Policy, which contributes to sustainable and competitive fisheries and aquaculture and  the Integrated Maritime Policy, which ensures a consistent policy framework for the policy and contributing to a balanced and inclusive territorial development of fisheries areas. 

The investments planned by Malta for the period between 2014 and 2020 are aimed towards the local fishing community, who will benefit from new opportunities in fisheries and other areas of the maritime economy. The aquaculture sector will also have more investment to promote green growth, innovation and competitiveness.

Scientists and researchers will benefit from specific provisions for the public funding of data collection and scientific advice, and from measures to foster innovation and transfer of knowledge between scientists and fishermen. Consumers will therefore continue to benefit from healthy fisheries and farmed products with high nutritional value.