The European Commission has approved a €4.5 million German State aid scheme to support fishing and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel prices linked to the Middle East crisis.
The scheme will provide direct grants to companies involved in the primary production of fishery and aquaculture products — meaning businesses that catch or farm fish and other aquatic species, the Commission noted in a press release on Friday.
Support will be calculated based on fuel price increases and will cover 70% of the estimated rise in fuel costs incurred between 1 March and 23 July 2026. Individual payments will be capped at €50,000 per company.
Temporary EU rules for crisis support
Germany notified the scheme to the Commission for approval under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework, a set of EU rules adopted on 29 April 2026 that allows governments to give limited, time-bound support to certain sectors affected by the crisis.
The framework applies until 31 December 2026 and is designed for sectors described as exposed to the effects of the crisis, including agriculture, fishery, transport and energy-intensive industries.
