The European Council, a council of Europe’s heads of state whose role is to set the EU’s overall direction and policies, met March 20. Among the conclusions they issued following the meeting, the commitment to protecting the oceans and to a sustainable blue economy featured prominently.
“The European Council stresses the strategic importance of the oceans, water resilience and the blue economy in strengthening the EU’s competitiveness and resilience, maritime security, and environmental sustainability and protection, in the context of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss,” the statement said.
“The European Council welcomes the Commission’s intention to put forward an ambitious, holistic and forward-looking European Ocean Pact, in line with the respective EU and Member State competences, that wil foster healthy oceans and seas, energy security, maritime security, food security, sustainable fisheries and a sustainable and competitive EU blue economy, with special emphasis on coastal and island communities, and contribute to global science-based knowledge and responsible governance of the oceans.”
In addition the group “took stock of preparations for the UN Ocean Conference, to be held in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025, and called for increased global action and ambition, including accelerated ratification of the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), to advance ocean protection and governance at international level.”
The EU has set ambitious sustainability goals for the blue economy. FuelEU Maritime rules that took effect in January to curb emissions from shipping; the EU has invested in sustainable blue economy projects such as ocean energy installations. And several countries have led their own initiatives such as establishing green corridors for shipping. Spain and France were the first European countries to ratify the High Seas Treaty and Portugal voted to postpone consideration of deep sea mining until at least 2050 and designated the largest Marine Protected Area in the North Atlantic.
