The European Commission will propose an Ocean Act based on a revision of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, according to the ‘Ocean Pact’ adopted by the Commission on Thursday 5 June (see EUROPE 13652/6).
This legislation, which will be presented by the European Commission in 2027, will aim to strengthen and modernise maritime planning, through better cross-sectoral coordination at national level and a more coherent approach to the management of sea basins, ensuring more sustainable use of marine resources.
The European Commissioner for Oceans, Costas Kadis, explained to the press that the Ocean Act will be a “legislative tool” designed to help meet the objectives of the ‘Ocean Pact’. This is a new development compared to the draft communication that leaked in mid-May (see EUROPE 13646/11).
In addition to the Ocean Act, the Pact’s flagship initiatives include:
- the creation of a high-level Ocean Board to support the effective implementation of the Pact;
- the launch of a public ‘EU Ocean Pact scoreboard’, to monitor the implementation and achievement of the objectives;
- enhancing the resilience of coastal communities through EU financing and EIB loans, prioritising support for small-scale fishing and launching a generational renewal strategy for the blue economy;
- developing a strategy for islands and updating the strategy for outermost regions;
- the development of sustainable aquaculture through a specific initiative and the promotion of European ‘blue carbon’ reserves as well as new innovative economic models for coastal zones;
- the implementation of a coordinated strategy for the removal of unexploded ordnance in European waters, starting with the Baltic Sea and the North Sea;
- the creation of a European network of youth ‘ocean youth ambassadors’;
- stepping up the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing through the mandatory introduction of the digital catch certification (IT CATCH) by January 2026.
The Commission will also propose to strengthen the EU’s maritime industry through an Industrial Maritime Strategy and an EU Port Strategy, said Mr Kadis when presenting the Pact (https://aeur.eu/f/h6p ).
On the controversial subject of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the EU has extended its MPA network to 12.3% of its waters, but Member States are encouraged to accelerate efforts to meet the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 target of legally protecting 30% and strictly protecting 10% of its seas, the communication points out.
“This implies proposing management plans for each MPA, based on science and with the involvement of all local stakeholders including fishers, that aim to address the specific characteristics of the MPAs concerned in ecologically significant areas. This should include identifying, on a case-by-case basis, which fishing techniques are compatible with the conservation of the targeted species and habitats in the MPAs concerned”, says the Commission.
The Commission will therefore work to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of existing EU legislation, notably the Birds and Habitats Directives, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Nature Restoration Regulation, including through the use of new technologies to facilitate the surveillance and monitoring of activities in these MPAs.
Responding to the press, Mr Kadis added that the Commission would “promote the development of management plans for each marine protected area, taking account of science”. And these plans will determine which activities can take place in these areas and which are “compatible with what needs to be protected. If we are to protect the seabed, we should not authorise activities that cause damage to the seabed”, promised Mr Kadis, at a time when NGOs are calling for an end to bottom trawling in protected areas. The case-by-case approach generally satisfies fishing communities within the EU.
Budget. The ‘Ocean Pact’ does not contain any new funding for implementation of the actions. “We need public and private funding to implement the planned measures”. The priorities of the Pact “should be covered” by the appropriations of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, said Mr Kadis, who also stressed the need to optimise the use of the EU budget and to continue the collaboration with the EIB.
In terms of defence, the Commission refers in particular to a pilot project for a European unmanned airborne drone (UxVs) fleet, integrating artificial intelligence and advanced sensors for real-time maritime monitoring.
Positive reactions. Christophe Clergeau MEP (S&D, French) felt that the Pact was the starting point for the development of several new strategies (ports and maritime industries), especially European legislation on the oceans, an “element that makes the Pact credible” (see EUROPE 13652/6).
For Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew Europe, French), the ambition of the Pact is “weakened by the absence of solid commitments. It cannot remain a mere declaration of intent. It must become a genuine action plan with a clear ‘roadmap’, financial resources and the direct involvement of stakeholders and coastal communities”.
Isabelle Le Callennec (EPP, French) highlighted the proposals on financing, notably through the EIB, “to invest in our maritime economy, in particular to renew the fishing fleet and develop our ports”. She advocated genuine “ocean diplomacy” to manage conflicts of use.
This ‘Ocean Pact’ will also be presented by the EU at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice, co-organised by France and Costa Rica from 9 to 13 June.
Link to the Pact: https://aeur.eu/f/h6j (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)