The European Commission has published a long-term Vision for fisheries and aquaculture that sets out priorities and planned initiatives through to 2040, aiming to support fishers, aquaculture producers and coastal communities while securing Europe’s supply of aquatic food.
What the Commission announced
The Commission’s Vision 2040 outlines strategic goals for the sector and a sequence of measures across two phases. Up to 2030 it says efforts will focus on improving energy and resource efficiency and developing new technologies; from 2030 onwards the emphasis will shift to scaling up zero-emission technologies, backed by financing, infrastructure and fleet modernisation.
The strategy highlights measures to secure supply and boost demand for EU-produced aquatic food, including support for investment in vessels, innovation and income diversification. It also pledges to promote diversification of products and encourage consumers to choose EU aquatic products. A specific target in the Vision is to promote digital traceability for all products across the supply chain by 2029, which the Commission says will strengthen transparency, trust and market value.
To create enabling conditions, the Commission plans targeted initiatives such as strengthening research and innovation to better anticipate future fish stock availability, introducing harmonised training and certification standards, and launching a “blue generational renewal strategy” in 2027 aimed at attracting younger generations to the sector.
On external action, the Vision commits the EU to promote sustainable fisheries globally and to protect the Union’s supply of aquatic food by stepping up the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, strengthening international fisheries rules, and developing a new generation of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements. The Commission also states it will work to uphold a level playing field and protect the European fisheries value chain from unfair global competition.
Why it matters
The Commission frames fisheries and aquaculture as contributors to Europe’s prosperity and food security, employing more than 200,000 people. The package links environmental goals—such as energy efficiency and zero-emission technologies—with measures intended to sustain incomes, modernise fleets, and improve market recognition for EU products. A push for full digital traceability by 2029 would affect producers and processors across the supply chain.
What happens next
The Vision was developed through an extensive participatory process with fishers, aquaculture producers, the processing industry, EU countries, NGOs, advisory councils, young people and citizens. The document sets out priorities and targeted initiatives; it does not itself create binding rules. The Commission provides a factsheet and a press release accompanying the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture for further detail.
