“We need an ambitious European Ocean Pact that includes full implementation, alignment and binding commitments where critical gaps need to be addressed through a coherent framework of legislative and non-legislative measures”, said members of the European Parliament’s SEArica (Seas, Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas) Intergroup in a letter to the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, on Friday 23 May (see EUROPE 13646/11).
Christophe Clergeau (S&D, French), chair of this intergroup, along with Thomas Bajada (S&D, Maltese), Emma Fourreau (The Left, French), Alicia Homs (S&D, Spanish), Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, Swedish), Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew Europe, German) and former European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens/EFA, Lithuanian), believe that “we must secure a real financing for the European Ocean Pact”.
The eight key priorities identified include:
- keeping the ocean at the heart of the EU agenda;
- restoring and protecting the ocean;
- grasping the ocean’s potential to stimulate the economy, create high-quality jobs and enhance European sovereignty and security;
- unlocking the full potential of ocean knowledge, research and innovation;
- organise ocean governance at the right level, for maximum environmental, social and economic effectiveness.
On 4 June, the European Commission will adopt a communication detailing the measures in the Ocean Pact.
Link to the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/h0c (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)