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The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) has issued a criticism of the European Commission's approach to marine policy, arguing that EU member states are "not following through" on marine protections.
The WWF's statement is in response to the EC's recently-published report on the implementation of its Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), currently the bloc's main legislation for the marine environment, in force since 2008. The MSFD originally set 2020 as its deadline for Europe to achieve "Good Environmental Status" of its seas, however the WWF notes this has not been achieved.
“While the MSFD looks good on paper, the assessment published today reveals that Member States are not following through. The MSFD has been successful in setting a shared foundation to define what a healthy marine environment looks like, but today’s report shows that the absence of legally binding targets allows Member States to choose their own approach to ocean protection – too often, with disappointing results,” said Helena Rodrigues, Oceans Policy Officer at WWF European Policy Office, in a press release.
WWF says the latest report shows that measures brought in by member states "were not sufficient to address human pressures at sea" and says it also reveals gaps in different countries' definitions and monitoring of "Good Environmental Status". The WWF also argues the report shows "insufficient national measures to achieve it, and a lack of policy coherence with other EU measures – ultimately undermining the MSFD’s effectiveness in tackling pollution, over-exploitation, and biodiversity loss in Europe’s seas".
The environmental organisation adds that this is "no surprise" as the findings are in line with the WWF's own assessments for 2022-2024.
The WWF's comments come as the European Commission is developing two major updates to its marine policy: the forthcoming Oceans Pact and the EU Water Resilience Strategy.
The Oceans Pact is a key political initiative aimed at advancing sustainable ocean management and ensuring the long-term health, resilience, and productivity of the oceans. The EC recently launched a call for evidence on the Oceans Pact, followed by a series of high-level dialogues led by EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, to inform the drafting of the new legislation.
"The Oceans Pact and Water Resilience Strategy must be based on data and science, not political convenience,” said Rodrigues. “When all the science and assessments point in the same direction, we can’t continue to ignore it. The EU needs stronger enforcement, policy coherence, and binding targets, with clear monitoring mechanisms."
"Climate change is accelerating risks to our seas and coastal communities – over 80 million Europeans live in low-lying coastal zones and floodplains. Continuing to ignore the data and the link between climate and ocean health puts their future at risk,” Rodrigues added.
The WWF statement concludes that Europe must be "more proactive" in guaranteeing ocean health.
"The EU must seize the Oceans Pact and Water Resilience Strategy to strengthen enforcement, close policy gaps, and deliver real protection for its seas and the livelihoods that depend on it. The Blue Manifesto, launched in 2024 by 140 civil society organisations, offers clear guidelines to achieve this, outlining the urgent actions needed to restore ocean health," the WWF states.
