The European Commission presented strategic guidelines with the aim at coordinating efforts across all member states to foster the development of EU aquaculture. The Commission stressed that these guidelines do not create new legal obligations, but present a series of voluntary steps that member states.

In order to boost the development of EU aquaculture, the European Commission has issued strategic guidelines. These guidelines will help to coordinate efforts with member states and stakeholders in overcoming the challenges facing the sector. According to the Commission, the EU aquaculture sector has a significant growth potential and can help to spare overexploited sea resources. In December 2012, the Commission also presented new guidelines on how best to ensure that activities related to aquaculture are compatible with EU nature legislation.

The guidelines do not create new legal obligations, but present a series of voluntary steps that member states, the Commission, and stakeholders can take to promote an industry that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable and provides consumers with healthy, high-quality seafood.

Furthermore, the guidelines address the four main challenges facing the aquaculture sector: a necessity to reduce red tape and uncertainties for operators; a need to facilitate access to space and water; a requirement to increase the sector's competitiveness; and a need to improve the level playing field by exploiting the competitive edge of "made-in-the-EU" fish products.