Concerns before European Parliament plenary vote on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

CCB • October 17, 2013

On October 14-15, representatives from environmental NGOs, students and a Swedish commercial fisherman met in Brussels to do lobby work related to the European Parliament (EP) plenary vote (on October 23) on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The lobbying event was organised by Pew Environment Group and the Swedish NGO, the Fisheries Secretariat (FISH).

On the 15 th the participants were divided after nationality and in total almost 20 meetings with MEPs or their assistants held. Aside of discussions, the MEPs were invited to a symbolic vote where they had to choose between “MORE FISH” or “MORE BOATS”. Generally, the MEPs voted for “more fish” and understood our concerns. Hopefully, they are going to vote in a favourable way during the European Parliament (EP) plenary on October 23. This will be checked and monitored by NGOs.

For now, we are concerned by several proposals and measures.

First, the French rapporteur in the EP Fisheries Committee (PECH), Mr Cadec (PPE), has managed to include detrimental amendments and measures to the EC proposal. Mr Cadec’s proposals include subsidises to construct new vessels to increase and modernise the overall capacity of EU fisheries (e.g. subsidies to new engines). CCB and other organisations advocated against this since the reintroduction of a subsidy to build new vessels has been proven to contribute to overfishing and was phased out by the 2002 CFP reform. Furthermore, reintroducing this subsidy would contradict the EU’s Rio +20 commitments and undermine its position in the WTO negotiations. Aid for vessel construction has maintained or even increased overfishing and there is no evidence that this type of subsidy leads to greater socio-economic or environmental benefits. Often this only leads to that the fishermen become encumbered with debts, since they do the majority of the big investment themselves, and are forced to fish even harder on fish stocks that are in bad state – which naturally risk to lead to illegal fishing etc.

There is an urge for increasing funding to enhance control, enforce measures and improve data collection. Of the almost 90 EU stocks that scientific advice on landings are given for, half are considered to be data-poor. In fact there is not enough knowledge of these stocks to enable scientific advice for specifics amount that can be landed by the fisheries on an annual basis – only advice for if catches should increase, decrease or remain at same levels can be given. For other stocks, data are quite often shaky and ought to be of higher quality – especially if multi-species considerations are taken into account in the management plans. Regarding control and enforcement, improvement of these regulatory tools are keys for the planned implementation of discard bans in several EU fisheries.

Furthermore, CCB is concerned by the proposals to limit the participation in Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) to fishermen and producer organizations; according to the proposal only financial support should be directed to RAC participants that make a profit from the utilisation of public resources, serviced by publicly funded research, control and enforcement etc. If such measure is adopted on October 23, the interest of millions of citizens and consumers would be moved aside as many environmental NGOs and other organizations would be financially restricted in their future RAC commitments

Petition launched to stop new oil and gas drilling in the Baltic Sea

By CCB • October 3, 2025
3 October 2025 - Coalition Clean Baltic, together with its Member Organization BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany and the citizens’ initiative “ Lebensraum Vorpommern ”, have launched a petition to stop new oil and gas drilling projects in the Baltic Sea . The petition comes in response to plans to exploit a deposit just 6 km offshore Świnoujście , Poland, in the transboundary waters of the Oder Estuary and Pomeranian Bay. The planned site lies at the heart of NATURA 2000 protected areas , which are vital for biodiversity, climate action, and local communities. Oil and gas extraction in the Baltic Sea poses severe threats to its fragile ecosystems. Industrial activities such as drilling, pipeline construction, and ship traffic risk polluting the water with chemicals, oil leaks, and toxic waste. Underwater noise from pile driving and increased traffic would further degrade marine habitats. These pressures add to the already critical challenges faced by the Baltic Sea, including biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. The consequences extend far beyond nature. Local communities rely on a clean and healthy Baltic for tourism, fishing, and quality of life. Expanding fossil fuel infrastructure would also undermine Europe’s climate commitments and lock in carbon emissions for decades to come. The petition calls on the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the European Commission, and the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention to : Stop the plans for oil and gas extraction in the Oder Estuary and the Pomeranian Bay; Ban any new oil and gas extraction across the Baltic Sea; Ensure strong cross-border cooperation and communication amongst all involved states. The petition is open through the WeMove Europe´s platform and can be signed here .

Job vacancy: Coalition Campaign Manager - Common Fisheries Policy

By CCB • October 1, 2025
Job Title: Coalition Campaign Manager - Common Fisheries Policy Position type : Full-time consultancy contract. Open to part-time arrangements initially if needed. Contract duration: Short-term contract until end of March 2026, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability Reports to: Steering Committee Location : Flexible(remote/home office) with regular travel. Working in Brussels is of advantage. Starting date : ASAP In close cooperation with the Steering Group of the coalition, lead, plan, coordinate, and support the campaign of an NGO network working together towards the implementation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the evaluation thereof. The campaign manager's responsibility is to develop and ensure the successful and timely delivery of political advocacy and public engagement activities of the campaign, both at EU and Member State level. Job description Strategy & Planning Develop and implement short-, and long-term campaign strategies aligned with coalition objectives, in close cooperation with the Steering Group. Set clear goals, timelines, and performance indicators for the campaign and ensure timely delivery thereof. Analyse policy development, political climate, media and public opinion, and stakeholder landscapes to inform tactics. Campaign Delivery Manage day-to-day execution of the campaign activities at Brussels and Member State level. Coordinate coalition partners and ensure communication between Steering Group and coalition members, as well as relevant groups/coalitions/experts and other stakeholders outside the coalition. Advise coalition members on strategic delivery of advocacy activities at all levels, including Member State level. Join Steering Group meetings in an advisory capacity. Report back to the Steering Group on the delivery of the campaign's activities, meeting of targets and milestones, and report back on activities, budget and impact. Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, key stakeholders, and allies to support campaign aims. Analyse opportunities of engagement, advise on policy language. Organise/coordinate/prepare and support relevant activities, including events, briefings, and advocacy activities in close cooperation with coalition members. Ensure relevant knowledge management and information flow within the coalition and across partner organisations. Liaise with communication experts on message framing, strategy and timelines. Management Support CCB administrative and finance staff managing grants to coalition partners. Ensure coalition partners receive information and materials that enable them to effectively contribute to achieving campaign goals (political information, policy briefings, templates, policy language, opportunity analyses). Support fundraising efforts as needed/requested by the Steering Group. Lead on funders narrative reporting. Qualifications & Skills required The consultant must be legally authorised to provide services and work as a consultant within the EU, based in an EU Member State. Fisheries and ocean expertise (preferred), or other environmental background. Degree (or equivalent experience) in communications/campaign management, political science, resource management, fisheries, or related field. Proven track record in designing and delivering successful advocacy or public campaigns at EU or Member State levels involving a larger coalition. Strong understanding of political processes at EU level and Member State levels, media landscapes, and public engagement. Excellent project management and organisational skills. Skilled communicator and coordinator, able to craft persuasive messages and engage a larger network into a common goal within tight deadlines. Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Fluency in English is required; additional EU languages are a plus. Application Should you be interested in applying for this assignment, please send your CV (max. 2 pages) together with a personal letter (max. 1 page) before 9 October 2025 , COB, to secretariat@ccb.se Please include your consultancy rate in your application inclusive VAT (if applicable). Applications should be submitted in English. Incomplete applications (e.g. lacking either CV or personal letter) will not be considered . Any inquiries related to this assignment should be forwarded to the above email or to CCB Executive Secretary Mikhail Durkin at mikhail.durkin@ccb.se and +46 739 770 793. In the application and hiring process, CCB will not discriminate against any individual based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property, disability, age, family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, economic and social situation. .