The PECH Committee has committed itself to ensuring that Member States and beneficiaries of EMFF support will have to respect CFP rules to receive EU funding. Their vote gives strong support to the Commission's initiatives on ensuring adequate funding for scientific data collection, fisheries control and on the promotion and support of aquaculture in Europe.

However, despite a ban on EU public support for construction of new fishing vessels in 2002, the PECH Committee voted to re-introduce EMFF support for the replacement of small scale coastal fishing vessels older than 35 years. The PECH Committee also voted to reintroduce a number of fleet subsidies in particular for temporary cessation of fishing activities.

Maria Damanaki, EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said: "I take note of the outcome of the vote in the Fisheries Committee on the EMFF. The Commission's proposal is more ambitious than the position of the majority in the Fisheries Committee: it would put an end to the ineffective subsidies of the past, which contributed to overfishing and to the economic decline of the fishing sector. It would get a better return to tax-payers' money. I am now looking forward to the position of the plenary. In the trialogues following the plenary, the Commission will stand for an EMFF which supports the ambitious reform of the Common Fisheries Policy agreed between the co-legislators and the Commission just a few weeks ago."