On Thursday 6 October the European Parliament urged the European Commission to promote better integration of ocean conservation issues into other policy areas, including at the upcoming climate (COP27) and biodiversity (COP15) conferences in December.
Adopting (468 votes in favour, 53 against and 34 abstentions) a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA, ECR and The Left groups on strengthening ocean governance and biodiversity, the European Parliament said it was “disappointed” that the UN treaty to protect biodiversity in the high seas was not ultimately adopted at the fifth intergovernmental conference, while acknowledging that some progress has been made. The Commission and the Member States are invited to “urgently resume negotiations on the treaty for the protection of biodiversity in the high seas”.
The European Parliament reiterates its call for the Commission and the Member States to support an international moratorium on deep sea mining. An EPP amendment calling for a temporary moratorium was rejected in plenary.
The European Parliament supports the EU’s objectives of protecting at least 30% and strictly protecting at least 10% of the EU’s marine areas and reiterates its call for a restoration target of at least 30% of the EU’s land and sea, without being limited to just protection.
It also calls for increased protection of the Arctic region, including a ban on oil exploration and, as soon as possible, on gas exploration.
MEPs believe that the EU must work with international partners to achieve a just transition “moving away from offshore fossil fuel drilling”.
Fisheries. The European Parliament, in adopting an amendment tabled by the EPP group, regrets that the recent Commission implementing regulation of 15 September 2022 on the prohibition of fishing in 87 areas with vulnerable marine ecosystems was adopted on the basis of insufficient data and without sufficient stakeholder consultation. The issue of deep-sea trawling will be discussed at the European Parliament plenary from 17 to 20 October in Strasbourg (see EUROPE 13029/4). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)