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European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
News article15 May 2024European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency3 min read

Celebrating 10 years of EMFF/EMFAF – the European Maritime, Fisheries (and Aquaculture) Fund!

#10yearsEMFaF Website EMFF EMFAF

On 15 May 2014, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Regulation was adopted. This also marked the date when for the first time, the European Commission delegated the implementation of part of the fund to a European Executive Agency and new funding possibilities opened for beneficiaries.

In the past ten years, the fund has achieved great results, supporting fisheries science and innovative blue economy solutions for citizens, companies, fishing and coastal communities and the environment. 

Since 2021, the fund is called European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), and is managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). It supports the EU Common Fisheries Policy, the EU Integrated Maritime Policy and the EU agenda for international ocean governance through a diversified portfolio of actions.

This year, CINEA will be celebrating the great achievements of the fund and give extra visibility to the projects and the fund via several actions during the year.

Would you like to join?

  1. Post on your social media:
    1. explaining how the EMFF/EMFAF funding helped your innovation. In alternative, you can use the following text “We are proud to contribute to a more sustainable blue economy in Europe, thanks to the EU #EMFAF funding (or #EMFF, according to which year your project has been funded). Happy #10yearsEMFaF.”
    2. Do not forget to use #10yearsEMFaF
    3. Use this visual as it is, or in its editable form.
  2. Send a testimony of how the EMFF/EMFAF funding supported your project. CINEA will be happy to promote it on their social media platforms. Use the following email address to get in touch: CINEA-COMMUNICATION-EMFAFatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (CINEA-COMMUNICATION-EMFAF[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).
  3. Talk about the anniversary at the events where you take part.

What has been achieved in 10 years?

The European Maritime, Fisheries (and Aquaculture Fund) has a total budget of EUR 12.508 billion for the period 2014-2027. Part of the fund is directly managed by the European Commission and its Executive Agency since 2014, in complementarity with the EU Member States, which manage the rest of the fund by financing national projects.

#10yearsEMFaF
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Have a look at the #10yearsEMFaF infographic

For the period 2014-2024, the Executive Agency funded more than 500 actions, with a budget of EUR 389.5 million, reaching more than 8,000 stakeholders. In only 10 years:

  • Highly innovative projects in all blue economy sectors developed new technologies and sustainable solutions, filled knowledge and gender gaps, introduced bio-based marketable products, addressed the issue of unexploded ammunitions at sea and much more. More than 1,000 beneficiaries have been supported!
  • 109 published studies provided scientific advice for fisheries, supporting policy decisions and the sustainable management of marine resources; 
  • International ocean governance was fostered through dialogues and actions, including with indigenous people in the Arctic area; 
  • Guidance and cross border exchanges supported EU Member States in the elaboration of their maritime spatial plans and the implementation of the EU MSP Directive, also through the establishment of the European Blue Forum;
  • 530 stakeholders benefitted from the EU Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism, aimed at supporting EU Member States, the EU aquaculture industry and other relevant economic players in implementing the "Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture”;  
  • 472 companies and investors have benefitted from coaching, investment readiness and fundraising assistance thanks to BlueInvest since 2019;
  • The EU4Algae community, counting on 927 stakeholders, is working to scale-up a resilient and climate-friendly algae industry since 2020;
  • Through the EU4Ocean, 926 stakeholders have been involved in ocean literacy activities and 382 schools have been certified Blue Schools; 
  • EMODnet streamlined access to marine data through the creation of a central portal, providing a single access point for an easy and free access to marine environmental and human activities data; 
  • 3717 stakeholders networked and benefitted from events and activities under the sea basin strategy assistance mechanism for the Atlantic, WestMed and Black Sea.

These are only some of the fund’s big accomplishments and much more is to come in the coming years!