HUNGARY
Hungary aims to increase the international competitiveness of pond ďŹ sh farming
“Aquaculture and processing are of great importanceâ€? The functions of the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme Managing Authority are performed by the State Secretariat of Rural Development, which is responsible for support policy (both the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme and the Rural Development Programme). Dr JĂłzsef Viski, deputy state secretary responsible for the implementation of rural development programmes at the Ministry of Agriculture and head of the Managing Authority of the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme, speaks here about how Hungary has beneďŹ ted from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and his expectations of the fund in the next programming period. What have been the most successful uses of support from the EMFF for the Hungarian aquaculture sector? In December 2018, we can state that Supporting innovation (MAHOP-2.1-2016) and Supporting new aquaculture entrepreneurs (MAHOP-2.3-2016) are the most successful calls, because the value of support applications has exceeded the available resources. The highest numbers of support applications belong to the Productive investments in aquaculture (MAHOP-2.2-2016; 79 pcs) and Compensation (MAHOP-2.5-2016; 63 pcs) .  What elements of the programme would you definitely like to see retained in the post2020 EMFF? Hungary welcomes that the European Commission emphasises food security in the Union through competitive and sustainable aquaculture as a matter of priority. In Hungary, aquaculture and processing are of great importance. We would like to see retained maintaining biodiversity, supporting new aquaculture entrepreneurs, boosting innovation and facilitating cooperation among research institutes, universities and small and medium-sized aquaculture enterprises.  Promoting the 26
marketing, the quality and the value added of fisheries and aquaculture products are key elements of the Hungarian aquaculture sector in the next programming period. The priority selection projects, as Data Collection Framework and Control and Enforcement projects, develop and provide scientific knowledge and support the scientific evaluation of the sector. We would like to retain these projects in the next programming period. It is worrying that research and development issues are mostly concerned only with seas, oceans and fisheries in the draft version of the new regulation, while practically no mention is made of aquaculture.  The proposal for the EMFF 2021-27 sees a slight decline in the allocation for Hungary compared to the 2014-20 period. What kind of impact will this have on the aquaculture sector? According to the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) published on 2nd of May 2018, the financial frame of “new EMFFâ€? will be EUR 5,449 billion in 2018 prices, which is a 2.9 decline compared to EUR 5,6143 billion available in the 2014-2020 period. The “new EMFFâ€? financial allocation for Hungary is 96,4 of the 2014-2020 EMFF allocation.
Dr JĂłzsef Viski, Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Head of the Managing Authority of the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme
Our aim is to maintain the present measures and the needed financial support in the area of aquaculture, and in particular of freshwater aquaculture. The domestic aquaculture sector does not perceive this decline in short term. We find it difficult to judge its financial and economic consequences.
What are the main changes that fish farmers can expect in the post-2020 EMFF compared to the existing one? The Council of the European Union began early enough negotiating the Commission proposal of the post-2020 EMFF regulation. We hope the European Parliament and the
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