MEPs adopt report backing ocean diplomacy, fair competition and stronger RFMO rules to protect EU fishermen and seafood supply
Strasbourg Plenary Debate Followed by Adopted Resolution
The European Parliament has followed up its Strasbourg plenary debate and vote on ocean diplomacy and the competitiveness of EU fisheries and aquaculture with the adoption of a formal resolution under an own-initiative (INI) procedure.
The text sets out Parliament’s position on how the EU should use ocean diplomacy within its external action to defend fisheries interests, strengthen international ocean governance and support the competitiveness of European fisheries and aquaculture.
Focus on International Governance and RFMO Transparency
MEPs’ discussions and the adopted text focus on international ocean governance, including transparency and accountability within regional fisheries management organisations.
The resolution underlines the EU’s role in multilateral fisheries negotiations and argues that stronger engagement through these organisations is central to shaping and enforcing global rules.
The Parliament also links this approach to the need for fair competition, warning that different standards and enforcement levels outside the EU can undermine operators who fish under the EU’s regulatory and sustainability framework.
Level Playing Field and Imports Underlined
A central theme is the need to ensure a level playing field for the European fishing sector, particularly in the context of the EU’s reliance on imported seafood.
The resolution highlights that around 70% of seafood consumed in the EU is imported, and argues that import conditions should better reflect EU standards so that European producers are not undercut by lower requirements elsewhere.
It also points to stronger traceability and transparency provisions, reinforced border controls and customs mechanisms, alongside calls for measures to ensure imported products comply with standards equivalent to those applied in the EU.
Rapporteur: Fishermen Must Be at the Centre
The rapporteur, MEP Željana Zovko, said ocean diplomacy should place European fishermen at the centre of the EU’s strategy and foreign policy approach.
“Ocean diplomacy must be at the heart of the EU’s foreign policy, helping protect our fishermen and fish farmers and secure their future. We want fair rules worldwide, step up the fight against illegal fishing, and strengthen Europe’s role in protecting the oceans and shaping global standards. We are also proposing concrete institutional and budget measures such as promote international cooperation program to make this happen”.
Zovko said the EU’s ocean diplomacy must start from the realities of fishing communities and the role fishermen play in supplying food and sustaining coastal economies.
“Ocean diplomacy begins with our fishermen — those on the front lines of our seas, whose livelihoods, knowledge, and resilience sustain Europe’s coastal communities and food security. They are the foundation of our maritime economy and the guardians of sustainable fishing practices. This is why I call on the Commission to step up its engagement through regional fisheries management organizations, to strengthen transparency and accountability globally — especially towards those who do not uphold the same high standards as the European Union. If we want a credible and effective ocean diplomacy, it must start by protecting and empowering our fishermen, and by ensuring a level playing field worldwide.”
Stronger Action Against IUU Fishing and Standards Gaps
Another major element is the emphasis on stepping up action against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, with the Parliament pressing for stronger tools and tighter controls.
Zovko said engagement in regional fisheries management organisations should be used to shape global rules, while import conditions and enforcement should prevent lower standards from weakening European competitiveness.
“Stronger EU engagement in regional fisheries management organisations is urgent to shape and enforce global rules. We cannot allow lower standards abroad to undermine our fishers. With 70% of our seafood imported, we need to align import conditions with EU standards and step up the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through stricter controls and more effective monitoring systems.”
The resolution also frames these issues as part of wider competitiveness, arguing that ocean diplomacy is not only about geopolitics or the environment, but also about safeguarding the economic and social future of fisheries and aquaculture within the EU.
What Happens Next
As an INI resolution, the text sets out Parliament’s policy direction and priorities, rather than creating law on its own.
However, it increases political pressure on the European Commission and member states to reflect these priorities in external fisheries policy, RFMO engagement, trade and import controls, and broader international ocean governance work.
