ETP Joint considerations and working group recommendations

Over the past year, the ETP Support Group has brought together expertise and perspectives from across the fisheries and aquaculture sectors to advance the EU’s energy transition agenda. Organised into ten dedicated working groups, each focusing on a key sector—spanning Distant Water Fleet, Large-Scale Fisheries, Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries, Inland Aquaculture, Offshore Aquaculture, Ports, Fishing Shipbuilding Industry, Processing Industry, Research & Academia, and NGOs—the Support Group has served as a collaborative advisory body to the Energy Transition Partnership (ETP).

From February to September 2025, nearly 400 stakeholders participated in 38 online meetings, facilitated by Support Group Coordinators. A list of Joint considerations was compiled, highlighting the crucial areas for successful energy transition across EU fisheries and aquaculture. 

Priority areas for the energy transition in EU fisheries and aquaculture include demonstrating technical and economic feasibility via pilot initiatives, harmonising regulatory frameworks and integrating the transition into broader EU policies, and de-risking investments through EU funding. Beyond these priorities, it is essential to strengthen the workforce through education, training and upskilling, and boost innovation to enhance the competitiveness of EU shipyards and technology providers. 

The transition requires a technologically robust, sustainability-driven approach, including low- and zero-emission propulsion, energy-efficient and low-impact technologies, and modular, future-proof vessel and farm designs capable of adapting to evolving fuels and innovations. Investment in enabling infrastructure—ports, grids, charging and refuelling facilities, and renewable energy integration—is essential to ensure clean technologies are viable and scalable.

Decisions must be evidence-based, using standardised energy audits, life-cycle assessments, and monitoring frameworks to evaluate environmental, biodiversity, and socio-economic impacts. Solutions should prioritise genuine emissions reductions, resource efficiency, circular design, and ecosystem protection, while reflecting regional and operational diversity. By combining innovation, sustainable design, data-driven decision-making, and equitable access, the energy transition can strengthen the resilience, competitiveness, and environmental performance of EU fisheries and aquaculture.

Besides the Joint considerations, this collective effort also resulted in the formulation of sector-specific recommendations tailored to all 10 sectors covered. The recommendations reflect the diversity of the sectors, acknowledging that a “one-size-fits-all” approach is not suitable. Instead, the Support Group calls for regionally tailored policies that account for ecological, cultural, technical, and economic diversity, as well as differences in gear types, production systems, and infrastructure.

The primary objective of these outcomes is to provide actionable input for the European Commission’s Energy Transition Roadmap that is expected to be published in the second half of 2026. By capturing the collective input of the Support Group, the document ensures that the roadmap is informed by the latest insights and practical solutions from across the sector.

The ETP Support Group’s work marks a significant step forward in building a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive energy transition for EU fisheries and aquaculture. These outcomes will guide discussions at the High‑Level Conference on Energy Transition for EU Fisheries and Aquaculture and will serve as a foundation for future actions and continued dialogue as the sector advances toward its transition objectives.

Read the joint considerations and sectoral recommendations here