Fishers from around the European Union are calling for an extension to the compensation scheme put in place after the UK left the EU.
By the end of the year member states must have allocated all funds in their Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) schemes to fishers and related industries who have been in financial turmoil as a result of Brexit.
However, according to the European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO), red tape is impeding approval of BAR payouts, meaning funds meant for the fishing community will end up back in Brussels
“The Brexit Adjustment Reserve was invented to mitigate the adverse effects of Brexit,” said Esben Sverdrup-Jensen, president of EAPO.
“Fishing quotas allocated from EU fishers to UK fishers is costing the industry €180 million every year.
“Fishers are left out of the support they urgently require to sustain their livelihoods and their communities.”
EAPO says it is ‘deeply disappointed’ by the Commission’s refusal to consider an extension of the reference period for the BAR so that funds can be fully allocated.
“Fishers are not asking for an increase in support,” continued Sverdrup-Jensen, “they only request more time to secure full uptake of the funds.”
EAPO approached Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries in September asking for an extension beyond 31 December but allege this request was dismissed. Instead, says EAPO, unallocated funds will be transferred back to the general EU budget and spent outside the fishing sector, if at all.
