Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-001609/2025/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Wouter Beke (PPE)
Fisheries is a fundamental theme of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom. The agreement establishes a detailed framework for reciprocal access to maritime resources. There is a transitional period from 2021 to 2026, during which both parties have full access to each other’s exclusive economic zone and, for specific fish stocks, partial access to the six to twelve nautical miles zone. As part of Brexit arrangements, the EU had to accept a transfer of 25% of EU quotas for that period. As from 2026, access to UK waters is to be determined through annual negotiations on a renewed level and under new conditions. This is creating considerable uncertainty for the fishing industry in Belgium, among other countries, which is highly dependent on access to UK waters – over 50% for all fish species and up to 70% for sole, which, last year, accounted for 44% of value creation by the fleet.
Does the Commission regard fisheries as a priority on the negotiating agenda for the EU-UK summit on 19 May 2025?
Submitted: 23.4.2025