A fishing boat heads out to sea in the Bay of Biscay.
The European Commission has initiated a call for evidence this week to shape the European Oceans Pact, a key political initiative aimed at advancing sustainable ocean management and ensuring the long-term health, resilience, and productivity of the oceans. The pact also aims to boost the prosperity of the European Union’s coastal communities.
Announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her political guidelines for the 2024-2029 term, the initiative represents a holistic approach to ocean governance, the Commission said in its announcement.
The call for evidence will run until 17 February 2025, and the Commission is encouraging contributions from stakeholders, experts, and citizens.
The Pact sets out an ambitious vision for integrated ocean policies across all ocean sectors, both internal and external to the EU. According to the European Commission website, its main aims are to:
Maintain a healthy, resilient, and productive ocean.
Promote a sustainable and competitive blue economy, including fisheries and aquaculture.
Work towards a comprehensive agenda for marine knowledge, research and innovation, and investment.
The intention is to align EU policies related to oceans under a unified framework, ensuring coordinated efforts to address how human activities impact marine ecosystems, mitigate the effects on coastal areas, and maximize the benefits oceans provide, the Commission said.
The insights gathered during the consultation process will inform the final version of the European Oceans Pact, which is slated for presentation at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.
Evidence and comments can be submtited via the European Ocean Pact website here.
