Croatia agricultural and fisheries policy advocacy

Croatian Minister David Vlajčić has been advocating for significant reforms and increased support within European Union agricultural and fisheries frameworks.

In early October, Croatia addressed the Council for Agriculture and Fisheries in Brussels regarding the decline of sardine and anchovy populations. The government called for more flexible fishing rules, fleet modernization, and adequate compensation for fishermen when catch limits or zones are restricted, arguing that current retirement incentives are insufficient to prevent industry decline.

By late October, during meetings in Luxembourg, the focus expanded to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the 2028–2034 period. Croatia advocated for maintaining production-linked supports, simplifying regulations, and ensuring rules allow young people to sustain themselves through farming. The country also supported measures to combat unfair trade practices, specifically calling for a ban on selling food products below production costs, and backed requests for extraordinary assistance to mitigate rising fuel and fertilizer costs.