Commission approves €13 million French State aid for fishing companies facing increased fuel prices due to Middle East crisis

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

The European Commission has approved a €13 million French aid scheme to support fishing companies to address the increase in fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis. The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026.

The French Measure

France notified to the Commission a €13 million scheme to support fishing companies to cope with the increase in fuel prices in the context of the Middle East crisis. The scheme will run until 31 December 2026, covering the costs for April and May 2026. This is the first scheme approved by the Commission under the METSAF.

The current crisis in the Middle East has led to a sharp and sudden increase in energy prices, with marine fuel prices increasing by more than 75% between late February and April 2026. This has created substantial economic uncertainty and severely impacted sectors that are highly dependent on fuel such as the fishing sector. The surge in fuel prices has significantly increased operating costs and threatens the economic viability of fishing companies.

The aid will take the form of direct grants based on the volume of fuel purchased. Companies can receive €0.20 per litre of fuel purchased from 1 to 30 April 2026 and €0.35 per litre of fuel purchased from 1 to 31 May 2026.

The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (‘TFEU’), which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF.

The Commission found that the French scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, the aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget, and the aid will be provided to temporarily support the development of the primary production of fishery products. At the same time, it safeguards the sector’s contribution to food security at both national and EU level.

The Commission concluded that the French scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to facilitate the development of an economic activity and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.

On this basis, the Commission approved the scheme under EU State aid rules.

Background

On 29 April 2026, the Commission adopted the METSAF to enable Member States to support the EU economy in the context of the Middle East crisis. The METSAF is a targeted and temporary framework to address the effects of the crisis on some of the most exposed sectors of the economy: agriculture, fishery, transport and energy-intensive industries. The METSAF will be in place until 31 December 2026. During its period of application, the Commission will keep the content, scope and duration of the framework under review in the light of developments in the Middle East and of the general economic situation.

While the transition towards a clean economy remains the long-term solution to shield EU companies from the effects of global energy shocks, the METSAF allows Member States to act immediately to make sure that the growth of the most exposed companies is not irreparably hampered by the current crisis.

To this end, support can take various forms for companies active in the agriculture, fishery and transport sectors. This includes aid based on actual consumption to cover part of the price increases for fuel or fertilisers, and a simplified approach for small amounts of aid.

The METSAF also includes a temporary adjustment to the Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework (CISAF) allowing for further flexibility and higher aid intensities to address electricity price spikes.

More information on the METSAF is available online.

For more information

The non-confidential version of today’s decision will be made available under the case number SA.123189 in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website. New publications of State aid decisions on the internet and in the Official Journal are listed in the Competition Weekly e-News.