Fishing firms get 25 cents a litre fuel aid for June–August 2026

French sea-fishing businesses and their crews get a cash grantLegifrance to absorb higher operating costs after energy prices rose in the context of the Middle East conflict, with the stated aims of preserving competitiveness and crew pay. The scheme covers all French maritime fishing businesses in mainland France and in Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Mayotte, La Réunion and Saint-MartinLegifrance, and is run for mainland France, Corsica and the overseas departments and regions by the Agence de services et de paiement, under a convention with the State that sets its tasks and funding.

The grant is a direct subsidy of 25 centimes per litre of professional fuelLegifrance bought within the European Union or in third countriesLegifrance between 1 June and 31 August 2026 inclusiveLegifrance, for French fishing businesses' vessels rigged for fishing and flying the French flag, used solely for professional fishingLegifrance. The calculation uses litres bought and paid for by the date the application is filedLegifrance: litres purchased over the period multiplied by 25 centimesLegifrance. The €18 million envelope covers grants plus part of the scheme's management costsLegifrance, and grants are awarded within available appropriations. Where other fuel aid has been received or applied for from other bodies, the amount is adjusted to respect European aid ceilingsLegifrance.

To qualify, applicants must hold an active SIRET showing an establishment in France, mainland or the six listed overseas territoriesLegifrance, and be defined by NAF/APE code 0311Z — or, failing that, show fishing production of at least 50% of total turnover for the last closed year, certified by an accountant, auditor or management and accounting associationLegifrance. At the application date they must be current on social declarations and tax obligationsLegifrance; businesses behind on contributions must at least have filed declarations and taken out, or be taking out, a debt-clearance planLegifrance. Excluded while unresolved are businesses under an unexecuted recovery injunction after a Commission illegal-aid decisionLegifrance, and businesses already in difficulty within the meaning of article 2(18) of Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 during the year before 28 February 2026Legifrance — except micro and small businesses outside insolvency proceedings that have repaid or ended rescue aid and are no longer restructuringLegifrance.

One application covers the whole periodLegifrance: sworn statements, identity and representation documents, a bank identifier, and proof of volumes bought — fuel deemed bought on the invoice issue dateLegifrance — and paid forLegifrance, via an accounting attestation or, for uncertified micro-businesses, a trusted third party such as a maritime cooperative, fisheries committee, producer organisation or management centreLegifrance, distinguishing monthly purchases per vessel by registration numberLegifrance. Applicants report any business change within thirty daysLegifrance, keep invoices and supporting documents for ten yearsLegifrance, declare fuel aid received or sought elsewhereLegifrance, and stay within European ceilingsLegifrance.

Applications run from the scheme's opening until Friday 30 October 2026Legifrance; late files are ineligibleLegifrance, and incomplete files that are not completed within four weeks are rejected and notifiedLegifrance. The ASP checks eligibility, computes the grant, may seek the opinion of the (inter-regional) sea directorate, issues a reasoned refusal where ineligible, and pays net of notified assignments and claims. Pre-payment irregularities cut the grantLegifrance, post-payment ones trigger forfeiture with recoveryLegifrance, and false declarations bring repayment plus a 50% surcharge for deliberate breach or 100% for fraud, except in cases of manifestly unintentional errorLegifrance. Individual grants above €10,000 are published through the Commission's Transparency Award Module within six months of awardLegifrance.

Legal basis: Décret n° 2026-898 du 26 septembre 2026Legifrance and arrêté du 26 septembre 2026 relatif à la mise en œuvre d'une aide visant au soutien des entreprises de pêche sur la période du 1er juin au 31 août 2026Legifrance.