The European Commission has approved a €700,000 Maltese State aid scheme to support fishing companies facing higher fuel costs linked to the Middle East crisis.
The support is for companies involved in the primary production of fishery products — the catching and initial supply of fish and other seafood, the Commission informed on Thursday.
The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework, a set of EU rules adopted on 29 April 2026 that allows member states to grant limited, time-bound support during the crisis.
Aid will be paid as direct grants and calculated using the volume of fuel purchased between 1 March 2026 and 31 December 2026, and the monthly price difference compared with a pre-crisis benchmark set in February 2026. The grants will cover 70% of the additional fuel costs.
Payments under the scheme will be available until 31 December 2026.
How the EU assessed the scheme
The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, including Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.
That provision allows member states to support certain economic activities under specific conditions.
The scheme met the conditions set out in the temporary framework, including a defined budget and temporary support for eligible companies.
A non-confidential version of the decision will be published later under case number SA.124035 in the Commission’s state aid register once confidentiality issues have been addressed.
