A watershed moment: The role of the Ocean Act in advancing the EU’s environmental, economic and military security

The European maritime area, our ocean, is a critical domain where economy, sustainability, culture and security intersect. At the same time, EU ocean governance is deeply fragmented along the lines of national jurisdictions, sectoral agendas and investment priorities.

The Integrated Maritime Policy, introduced in 2007, was the first attempt at integrated ocean governance of the EU. The upcoming Ocean Act, building on the 2025 Ocean Pact, is the Union’s chance to get it right. It is an opportunity to both recognise and reduce trade-offs by enabling the synergies between healthy oceans, competitiveness and security agendas. To realise the maximum potential of the ocean in advancing competitiveness, environmental protection, energy transition, defence and the well-being of coastal communities, the EU and member states need to consider the following in particular:

• The Ocean Act should be guided by the six priorities of the Ocean Pact and supported by precautionary, rectification at source, polluter pays, integration and non-deterioration principles of EU law.

• Marine spatial plans should become a strategic tool to encourage a regional sea basins approach and enable synergies between sustainability, competitiveness and security priorities, backed by streamlined reporting and inclusiveness towards coastal and other relevant stakeholders.

• The Ocean Act objectives should be anchored by long-term targets on achieving and maintaining good environmental status and protecting 30% of marine areas by 2030, including placing 10% under strict protection.

• The Ocean Act should envisage overarching ocean plans to support a whole-of-ocean approach to financial planning, helping to identify where public funding can be deployed most strategically while enabling the transparency and long-term predictability needed to mobilise private capital.

Read the full discussion paper here.

Brooke Moore is a Policy Analyst in the Sustainable Prosperity for Europe Programme at the European Policy Centre. 

Stefan Šipka is Head of Sustainable Prosperity for Europe programme at the European Policy Centre.

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