The European Commission has published a Communication which details how the money available under the EU''s five European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) will be spent in the period 2014-2020.
The funds include the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the EU Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and the Youth Employment Initiative.
Under the EMFF, a total of €5.75bn will be spent on implementing the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy and the Integrated Maritime Policy. To plan for this implementation, 27 operational programmes have now been adopted, one for each participating Member State. Luxembourg has opted out of the EMFF.
Under their operational programmes, Member States have committed to supporting sustainable and competitive fisheries and aquaculture, creating 10,200 jobs while maintaining another 85,000. Fuel efficiency is expected to increase by more than 40%, while the introduction of the landing obligation will lower the volume of unwanted catches by more than 20%.
