On Thursday 19 May, the European Commission launched the EU Blue Economy Observatory, a new knowledge dissemination platform for the sustainable blue economy.
It is a ‘one-stop shop’ for ocean-related activities, the latest socio-economic and scientific data, information on the market and current trends, and essential tools to help policy makers and businesses design and implement projects for the benefit of coastal communities.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Oceans and Fisheries, said that this new Blue Economy Observatory “will fill the knowledge gap that exists in the sector today and help businesses, policy makers and stakeholders make informed decisions in carrying out their projects”.
As announced in the Commission’s communication on the sustainable blue economy, this observatory (https://aeur.eu/f/1qe ) will also interact with the forthcoming ‘Blue Forum for users of the sea’. This blue forum will stimulate cooperative exchanges for the sustainable use of the marine environment.
Annual blue economy report. In addition, on Wednesday 18 May, the Commission published the annual EU blue economy report, which confirms that the sector is on the rise and that it contributes to the fight against climate change.
Sinkevičius said the annual report “clearly shows that the EU’s blue economy sectors are undergoing radical change through innovation, technology and entrepreneurship and will play an indispensable role in this transition”.
According to the report (2019 data), compared to the previous year, these sectors grew in terms of gross value added (+4.5% to €184 billion) and gross profits (+7% to €72.9 billion), while employment remained stable (4.45 million people).
In 10 years, gross value added increased by more than 20% since 2009, while gross profits increased by 22% and total turnover by 15%.
Gross profits in the living resources sector jumped by 41% in 10 years (to €7.2 billion in 2019), making it the fastest growing sector (gross value added) after shipbuilding and repair. The marine renewable energy sector saw a 17% increase in employment compared to 2018.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/1pj (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)