A fishing boat heads out to sea in the Bay of Biscay.
The European Commission has announced it has formally adopted its European Ocean Pact, under development for several months, aimed at bringing all of the EU's ocean policies together under "one single reference framework".
The Pact is intended to address what the Commission describes as "the significant threats facing our ocean, our coastal communities, islands and outermost regions" by focusing on six key priorities: protection and restoration of ocean health, blue economy competitiveness, coastal communities, ocean knowledge and innovation, maritime security and defence, and international ocean governance.
The Pact is due to be presented at this week's United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, on 9 June, by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
"This comprehensive strategy will protect the ocean and promote a sustainable blue economy," von der Leyen stated, announcing the adoption of the Ocean Pact via press release on 5 June. "It will not only benefit the planet, but also the people who call the coast their home, and the generations who will steward our oceans tomorrow."
A central priority of the Pact is protecting and restoring ocean health. The Commission plans to support Member States in restoring degraded coastal and marine habitats by promoting the establishment and management of marine protected areas.
The Pact will also mean revising key legislative tools such as the Maritime Strategy Framework Directive and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive to ensure healthier marine ecosystems, the Commission said.
Another major focus of the Pact is boosting the EU’s sustainable blue economy. The Commission noted that the ocean supports key EU sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, tourism, and renewable energy. To support these industries, the Commission plans to introduce a new Industrial Maritime Strategy and an EU Ports Strategy.
On seafood, the Commission indicated it also plans to evaluate the Common Fisheries Policy and develop a long-term vision for fisheries and aquaculture by 2026.
Meanwhile, to tackle the widespread issue of fewer young people entering the workforce in marine sectors, a Blue Generational Renewal Strategy will also be launched, aiming to support youth access to careers in marine research, ocean technology, and sustainable fisheries.
The Pact also emphasizes support for coastal, island, and outermost communities in the EU, recognizing their role in providing sustainable food and marine energy, and describing these communities as the "driving force behind a sustainable and competitive blue economy".
"With 40% of Europeans living within 50 km of the sea, our coastal communities are the backbone of our society and economy," said Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms at the European Commission. "The Ocean Pact will empower coastal communities, islands and outermost regions to unlock the full potential of our ocean and create a more prosperous future for all."
The Commission said it will present tailored strategies to ensure their resilience and future prosperity, including a dedicated development strategy for coastal areas, consultations on a new strategy for islands, and an updated outermost regions strategy. In addition to these, a proposal will also be made to create European "blue carbon reserves".
In the critical area of ocean research and innovation, the Pact outlines the creation of an EU Ocean Observation Initiative, backed by a new Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy.
A key outcome, the Commission said, would be the "operationalisation" of the European Digital Twin Ocean, a digital representation of the ocean and its multiple components, aimed to provide comprehensive knowledge on the ocean to scientists, policy makers, business and the general public. To raise public engagement, especially among young people, the Commission will also establish an EU Ocean Youth Ambassador Network.
Meanwhile, in an effort to enhance maritime security and defence, the Pact includes measures to strengthen cooperation among EU coast guards and navies. A coordinated effort will be launched to remove unexploded ordnance, starting in the Baltic and North Seas.
The Commission said it will also invest in a cutting-edge drone fleet using AI and advanced sensors to improve maritime surveillance and real-time monitoring.
Finally, the Pact seeks to strengthen EU ocean diplomacy and international governance, with the Commission intending to intensify efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing through the full digitalisation of the IUU catch certification system (IT CATCH) by 2026.
The Pact will also see the European Commission push for international agreements such as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty (recently ratified by the EU together with several of its member states), a strong global Plastics Treaty, and the establishment of three large marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean.
The European Commission said that to fulfill the Ocean Pact's targets, it will present an Ocean Act by 2027.
"This Pact will establish a single framework to facilitate the implementation of the Pact's key objectives, while cutting red tape," the European Commission stated, explaining that this will be based on a revised Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, to "enhance cross-sectoral coordination and sea basin management".
In addition to this legislation, the European Commission intends to create an Ocean Board, which is says will operate at a high-level and include representatives from a range of ocean sectors, who will be tasked with guiding the implementation of the Pact as well as launching an EU Ocean Pact dashboard, "providing a public, transparent and centralised platform to track progress towards its objectives."
"The European Ocean Pact is not a message in a bottle - it's a concrete plan for action," said Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans.
"We will work tirelessly to implement its priorities and ensure that the new governance approach to our ocean policies guide our work in the years to come, promoting healthy fisheries, a competitive blue economy, thriving coastal communities, and are mirrored in our engagement at the international level. By advancing our ocean knowledge and strengthening maritime security, we will protect our waters and communities," Kadis added.
