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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 30 July 2025
COM(2025) 435 final
2025/0246(COD)
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
on European fisheries and aquaculture statistics and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1921/2006, (EC) No 762/2008, (EC) No 216/2009, (EC) No 217/2009 and (EC) No 218/2009
{SEC(2025) 224 final} – {SWD(2025) 232 final} – {SWD(2025) 233 final}
1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
Reasons for and objectives of the proposal
Since the inception of the European Economic Community in the 1950s, Eurostat has provided European fisheries statistics on fish catches, landings, Union fishing fleet and aquaculture, which are necessary for the EU’s activities. These statistics are currently covered by five legal acts dating back to the 1990s with recasts in the 2000s [1][2][3].
Relevant, reliable, comprehensive and timely official European statistics are necessary to design, implement, monitor and evaluate EU policies related to fisheries, including the common fisheries policy (CFP) [4], the environment, climate change adaptation and mitigation, public health, food safety and the United Nations Agenda 2030 [5].
European fisheries statistics serve as a basis for other data collections, such as the data collection framework (DCF) [6], and are relevant for sustainable food production, especially in the context of the European Green Deal.
In recent years, CFP reforms and new EU initiatives have generated new data demands. Overlaps between fisheries data flows from Member States to different EU departments and to international organisations make a new legal act necessary.
The Commission proposal for a regulation on European fisheries and aquaculture statistics (EFAS) aims to improve relevance by more effectively meeting user needs. EFAS: (i) expands statistical coverage (e.g. organic aquaculture, EU aquaculture establishments); (ii) reduces confidential data; (iii) addresses quality issues. In line with EU simplification priorities, EFAS replaces five existing regulations with a single one, reducing administrative burden on Member States.
A key innovative aspect of EFAS is the use of existing databases, set up by EU law and available to the Commission, to produce official European statistics on catches and the Union fishing fleet, thus reducing the administrative burden on the Member States. This approach also enables new statistics on discards, recreational fisheries and the impact of catches on sensitive species without imposing an additional burden on respondents.
EFAS also takes into account data requirements of key international organisations, such as the FAO and OECD, and regional fisheries management organisations. The proposal enables Eurostat to transmit data on behalf of Member States to these organisations, reducing duplication of effort.
The initiative is part of the REFIT programme [7] and aims to improve the performance of the underlying legislation while reducing related burdens and costs. The estimated total cost of producing European fishery statistics is around EUR 5.6 million per year for the 27 EU Member States and the European Commission, of which approximately 5 % are incurred by the Commission. The legislative proposal is estimated to reduce the costs for collecting data on catches by EUR 1.2 million annually.
Consistency with existing provisions
Eurostat is the producer of official European fisheries and aquaculture statistics on catches, landings, fishing fleet and aquaculture production. EFAS is linked with other legal acts such as the CFP Regulation, the Control Regulation [8][9], the DCF [10], the Union fleet register [11] and the Regulation on organic production [12]. The concepts and definitions used in the proposal are consistent with those of the legal acts mentioned above, ensuring a cohesive legal framework.
The CFP regulates the fisheries sector in the EU by (i) giving direction to the sector; (ii) laying out the rules for managing the Union fishing fleet; and (iii) striving to ensure long‑term economic, environmental and social sustainability of European fisheries. Fisheries authorities of Member States are obligated to collect data covering the entire production and distribution chain (e.g. catch, landing, transport, first sales, fishing effort, vessel characteristics, licences, etc.). Main data sources include logbooks, landing declarations, transport documents, sales notes, inspection reports and vessel‑monitoring system records. Data on catches and the Union fishing fleet are transmitted to DG MARE; additional data for scientific and environmental monitoring are governed by the DCF and transmitted to the Commission’s Joint Research Centre. These data, collected under EU legislation and made available to the Commission, can be reused to compile official European statistics, implementing the principle of ‘collect once, use several times’.
Eurostat also provides European fisheries statistics to the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) [13] and to the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) [14], supporting market information and long‑term marine data initiatives.
Consistency with other Union policies
Fisheries statistics support EU trade, economic analysis and environmental policy. They are a relevant data source for professional users (research institutions, national, regional and international fisheries organisations) and for data redistributors (e.g. EUMOFA, EMODnet).
The European Commission aims to reduce regulatory burdens and simplify EU laws. High‑quality statistics inform policy decisions, help identify areas where burden reduction can be most impactful, and support the evaluation of regulations.
2. LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY
Legal basis
Article 338 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union outlines the EU’s competence to adopt measures for the production of statistics where necessary for the performance of its activities [15].
Subsidiarity
Fisheries are a natural, renewable and movable source of food governed by a common policy (CFP). A common EU‑wide legal framework ensures consistency, comparability and quality of statistics, which cannot be achieved by Member States acting in isolation.
Proportionality
Section 8 of the impact assessment discusses proportionality. The new streamlined legal framework is a proportional response to achieve the objectives and solve the problems outlined above. It does not go beyond what is necessary to modernise data collections for catches, landings, the Union fishing fleet and aquaculture.
Choice of instrument
A regulation is chosen because high‑quality official European statistics that are comparable across Member States require technical and quality provisions that can be directly applicable in Member States.
3. RESULTS OF EX‑POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
Ex‑post evaluations / fitness checks
The current system of European fisheries statistics was evaluated in 2019 [16]. The evaluation concluded that the statistics are an important independent and high‑quality source of information, serving user needs linked to fisheries management, market monitoring and research. However, information demands have changed (e.g. 2013 CFP reform) and the aquaculture sector faces confidentiality constraints. Overlaps between data flows to multiple organisations create inefficiencies.
Stakeholder consultations
Stakeholder groups include data providers (fishers, aquaculture producers), data producers (national statistical institutes), and data users (institutional users, redistributors, professional users, the general public). Consultations comprised workshops with Member States, in‑depth interviews, national case studies, an online survey (135 responses) and a public questionnaire (24 responses).
The consultation confirmed the need for a common legal act to improve relevance, reduce confidential data and streamline data flows.
Impact assessment
An impact assessment was conducted in 2021 and received a positive opinion from the Regulatory Scrutiny Board on 4 June 2021 [17]. Four options were considered; the preferred option is a new streamlined legal framework (option 3). This option is expected to reduce direct costs for catch data by EUR 1.2 million annually (≈ 21 % of total costs).
Regulatory fitness and simplification
| Description | Amount | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Catch data: reduction of burden and costs by eliminating double data reporting for catches. | EUR 1.2 million (annual) | Producing catch statistics from EU‑level administrative data sources; members no longer need to transmit catch statistics. |
| Reuse of European fisheries statistics by international organisations. | – | Reduces burden at Member State and international level. |
| Improving effectiveness: reduction of confidential data. | – | More data accessible to users at the same cost. |
4. OTHER ELEMENTS
Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements
No special support or implementation plan is needed; the regulation is directly applicable in Member States.
Explanatory documents
No explanatory documents are needed.
Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal
The legal proposal sets up an integrated framework for aggregated European fisheries and aquaculture statistics related to:
- extraction of marine biological resources by fishing activities and their entry into the market;
- the structure of the catching vessels;
- the production and structure of aquaculture establishments.
It emphasizes reusing EU‑level administrative data and reducing duplication.
Article 1 – Subject matter and scope
- The regulation categorises data into two main domains: fisheries (catches, landings, catching fleet) and aquaculture (production excluding hatcheries, flows, establishments).
Article 2 – Definitions – Provides definitions for Union waters, marine biological resources, fishing vessel, Union fishing fleet, sensitive species, catches, landings, etc.
Article 3 – Observation units – Lists observation units (Union fishing fleet, non‑Union fleets landing in the Union, licence holders, shipowners, wholesalers, recreational fishers, Union aquaculture establishments).
Article 4 – Data requirements – Detailed topics, transmission frequencies, reference periods and dimensions are set out in the Annex. Marine regional data shall be transmitted at the level of FAO fishing regions; inland regional data at NUTS 2 level. Member States may be exempted from submitting data on a variable if it has zero or low prevalence.
Article 5 – Ad‑hoc data collection – The Commission may adopt delegated acts to specify ad‑hoc data collections.
Article 6 – Coverage – Statistics shall be representative; coverage thresholds: 95 % of commercial catches weight, 90 % of Union catching fleet (discards), 90 % of recreational fisheries, 95 % of landings weight, 95 % of Union catching fleet, 95 % of aquaculture production.
Article 7 – Production of European statistics – Eurostat shall reuse relevant data from EU‑level administrative sources (Council Regulation 1224/2009, Regulation EU 2017/218, etc.). If a Member State objects, it may transmit aggregated datasets.
Article 8 – Data sources and methods – Member States may use administrative data sources, statistical surveys, innovative methods (digital tools, remote sensors). Sources include the Union fishing fleet register, the DCF, the organic production regulation, etc.
Article 9 – Data‑sharing with international organisations – Eurostat may transmit aggregated data to international, intergovernmental and regional fisheries management organisations for statistical or scientific purposes, subject to data‑protection arrangements.
Article 10 – Reference period – The first reference period shall begin in the calendar year [insert year] starting on 1 January following 18 months after adoption.
Article 11 – Quality requirements and quality reporting – Applies the quality criteria of Regulation (EC) 223/2009. Member States shall submit quality reports every three years; Eurostat shall publish quality reports every three years.
Article 12 – Transitional regime – Member States are exempted from transmitting data on catches of sensitive species and recreational fisheries until such data become available.
Article 13 – Union contribution – Financial contribution may be provided from the Union budget to cover costs of ad‑hoc collections and innovative methods, not exceeding 90 % of eligible costs.
Article 14 – Derogations – The Commission may grant derogations for up to two years where major adaptations are needed.
Article 15 – Exercise of delegation – Delegated powers for amending the Annex (Article 4(4)), for ad‑hoc data (Article 5) and for implementing acts.
Article 16 – Committee procedure – The ESSC shall assist the Commission.
Article 17 – Repeals – Regulations (EC) 1921/2006, 762/2008, 216/2009, 217/2009 and 218/2009 shall be repealed with effect from 1 January [year after 18 months after adoption].
Article 18 – Entry into force – The regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal and shall apply from 1 January [year after 18 months after adoption].
(a) Domain: Fisheries statistics
| Topic | Detailed topics | Transmission frequencies | Reference period | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catches | Commercial catches – weight by species, landed by Union fleet or without a vessel | Annual | Calendar year | Sensitive species – applicable; Regional – applicable |
| Discards – weight by species | Annual | Calendar year | Sensitive species – applicable; Regional – applicable | |
| Recreational catches – weight by species | Annual | Calendar year | Sensitive species – applicable; Regional – applicable | |
| Landings | Landed products – weight and monetary value of first sale, by species, presentation, use, flag | Annual | Calendar year | Regional – applicable |
| Catching fleet | Structure – main structural characteristics and gear used | Annual | Calendar year | – |
| Aquaculture (see section (b) below) | – | – | – | – |
(b) Domain: Aquaculture statistics
| Topic | Detailed topics | Transmission frequencies | Reference period | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquaculture production (excluding hatcheries & nurseries) | Aquaculture products (excluding eggs) – weight and value by species, first sale, split by environment and production method | Annual | Calendar year | Organic – applicable; Regional – applicable |
| Aquaculture eggs – weight and value by species, first sale, split by environment | – | – | Organic – applicable | |
| Flows in aquaculture | Capture‑based aquaculture – weight and value of catches from the wild for on‑growing | Annual | Calendar year | – |
| Products from hatcheries and nurseries – production by species, number produced, sold for on‑growing or released, monetary value | – | – | – | |
| Aquaculture establishments | Establishments – number and measurements, per Table 11 in Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2021/1167 | Every second year | Calendar year | – |