CFP Implementation and Enforcement – The Simple Plan

ClientEarth proposes a 'Simple Plan' centered on the rigorous application of existing EU laws to restore marine biodiversity and support a just transition for small-scale fishers. The document argues that revising the CFP Regulation is unnecessary and would cause delays, whereas full enforcement of current tools—such as Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and the Landing Obligation (LO)—could provide immediate environmental and economic benefits. Key recommendations include the creation of an EU Ocean Fund, increasing the use of infringement proceedings against Member States, and phasing out bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030.

• ClientEarth asserts that the current CFP Regulation is sufficient to meet its objectives if fully implemented, and that revising the regulation would be counterproductive, causing further burdens and delaying benefits.
• The document highlights a significant gap in enforcement, noting that the European Commission opened fewer than 560 legal proceedings for environmental law breaches in its last mandate, with DG MARE opening only one new case in 2023.
• Full implementation of EU environmental legislation is presented as an economic opportunity, with the potential to save the EU economy approximately €55 billion annually.
• The 'Simple Plan' includes specific goals for ending overfishing, such as ensuring fish stocks are exploited at Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and accelerating the roll-out of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) to enforce the Landing Obligation.
• ClientEarth calls for a phase-out of bottom trawling in all Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030 and notes that bottom trawling in European waters costs taxpayers up to €10.8 billion per year.
• The proposal advocates for a 'blue just transition' by using Article 17 of the CFP to allocate fishing quotas based on environmental and social criteria, specifically supporting small-scale, low-impact fishers (SSF).
• The document recommends the establishment of an EU Ocean Fund to support marine restoration and redirect subsidies from large-scale fisheries toward small-scale, low-impact fisheries.

APA

ClientEarth (2025). CFP Implementation and Enforcement – The Simple Plan. https://www.clientearth.org/media/elnbqvlu/clientearth_cfp-implementation-and-enforcement_the-simple-plan.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. CFP Implementation and Enforcement – The Simple Plan. 2025. https://www.clientearth.org/media/elnbqvlu/clientearth_cfp-implementation-and-enforcement_the-simple-plan.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=CFP Implementation and Enforcement – The Simple Plan |date=April 2025 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/elnbqvlu/clientearth_cfp-implementation-and-enforcement_the-simple-plan.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2025cfp, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{CFP Implementation and Enforcement – The Simple Plan}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/elnbqvlu/clientearth_cfp-implementation-and-enforcement_the-simple-plan.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }