On 5 June 2025, just ahead of World Ocean Day, the European Commission unveiled the European Ocean Pact – a strategic framework designed to safeguard the health of our oceans, strengthen the EU’s blue economy, and support coastal and island communities across Europe.
About the Ocean Pact:
Bringing together a wide range of EU maritime and marine policies, the Pact addresses key challenges facing Europe’s sea-basins and introduces coordinated actions under six priority pillars:
Restoring Ocean Health through marine protected areas, nature restoration, and updated maritime legislation.
Boosting the Blue Economy with dedicated strategies for maritime industries, ports, fisheries, and aquaculture, including a new generational renewal initiative.
Empowering Coastal and Island Regions with tailored development strategies and enhanced support for outermost areas.
Driving Innovation and Ocean Knowledge via a new Ocean Observation Initiative and engagement of young ocean advocates.
Enhancing Maritime Security through better surveillance, naval cooperation, and advanced technology like AI-driven drone fleets.
Advancing EU Ocean Diplomacy to tackle global issues such as illegal fishing, plastic pollution, and deep-sea biodiversity protection.
Areas of action
To support Member States restore degraded coastal and marine habitats, the European Ocean Pact proposes to:
Protect and restore ocean health by establishing Marine Protected Areas to rebuild marine life and benefit coastal communities.
Boost sustainable competitiveness of the blue economy by integrating energy transition into fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
Advance ocean research and innovation to enhance marine environmental knowledge and foster technological development.
From pledge to action:
To support delivery, the Pact will be followed by a dedicated Ocean Act by 2027, a high-level Ocean Board, and a public Ocean Pact Dashboard to ensure transparency and progress tracking.
The Pact was formally presented at the United Nations Ocean Conference on 9 June 2025, affirming the EU’s commitment to global ocean governance.
🔗 For more information visit the European Commission website: Full press release | Ocean Pact webpage
Find the Ocean Pact documents at: The European Ocean Pact | Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea