The EU's external dependence on fish products exceeds 80%.

Omissions

• The 'over 80%' figure depends on a specific methodology: it is obtained after excluding EU exports/re-exports from the supply balance. The study itself notes that the 'minimum EU import dependence rate for 2023 was approximately 62% of total supply' on the standard measure.
• The standard EUMOFA/EU Fish Market metric gives a self-sufficiency rate of about 38.1% in 2023 (first increase since 2018), which implies a lower headline import dependence of roughly 62% rather than >80%.
• The claim is not attributed to a source in the speech; the supporting figure comes from the EP's own commissioned study published months earlier (January 2026), which the MEP could have known.

Sources

• PrimaryEUMOFA presentation 'The EU fish market' (EU Fish Market 2025)In 2023, the EU self-sufficiency rate for fishery and aquaculture products increased, for the first time since 2018, to 38.1%, driven by declining imports ...
• SecondaryEuropean Parliament — Policy Department study 'Assessing the impact of seafood imports on EU self-sufficiency' (CASP_STU(2026)759344)If exports are excluded, EU domestic production covers only 14.2% of total seafood consumption, meaning imports supply over 80% of what the EU consumes. ... According to the EU Seafood Supply Synopsis 2024, the minimum EU import dependence rate for 2023 was approximately 62% of total supply.
• SecondaryResearch4Committees (European Parliament PECH committee blog) — 'Assessing the impact of seafood imports on EU self-sufficiency'EU seafood self-sufficiency has declined steadily, reaching 37.5% in 2022. This figure hides greater dependence, as much of the EU's pelagic ... If exports are excluded, EU domestic production covers only 14.2% of total seafood consumption, meaning imports supply over 80% of what ...
• SecondaryAgence Europe — 'EU's dependence on seafood imports continues to worsen'The EU's self-sufficiency rate was 37.5% in 2022, falling to 14.2% if exports are excluded, which means that more than 80% of the products [consumed come from imports].