European marine policy
With our current mandate in the EU Mission Board Restore Our Ocean and Waters, we are actively shaping European marine policy.
The EU Mission Boards are expert committees that were set up as part of the EU research and innovation program Horizon Europe. They are tasked with developing so-called missions, ambitious and concrete goals, to tackle global challenges such as climate change, health or environmental protection. These missions are not only intended to drive scientific progress but also to provide practical solutions to societal problems.
The Mission Boards consist of scientists, entrepreneurs, politicians and representatives of civil society who work together to develop strategies and propose concrete projects. There are five central thematic areas for the missions:
1. Adaptation to Climate Change including Societal Transformation;
2. Cancer;
3. Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and inland Waters;
4. Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities; and
The members of the Mission Boards advise the EU Commission and propose measures to achieve these goals by 2030. Their focus is on a transformative approach which combines research, politics and society.
To this end, the foundation is conducting a dialogue with national and international experts from our network in order to develop a realistic plan which focuses on the balance between marine protection and sustainable economic activity.
The Manifesto for a European Ocean Pact: a comprehensive agenda, advocating a holistic approach which recognizes the inextricable link between the well-being of society, the competitiveness of our economies and the health of our ocean and waters.
The German Ocean Foundation joined 26 other experts in drafting the Manifesto for a European Ocean Pact. Following the initiative of the German Ocean Foundation's advisory board member, Catherine Chabaud, the document has been published in cooperation with our Portuguese partner foundation Ozeano Azul and the think tank Europe Jacques Delors. The document is intended to help ensure that the new legislative period of the European Parliament has a marine policy which does not start from scratch but instead builds on previous policy.
Key Demands of the Manifesto:
Building a Competitive and Sustainable Blue Economy
Promote zero-emission shipping and green maritime industries (e.g. wind propulsion, smart ports).
Expand offshore renewable energy combined with sustainable aquaculture.
Encourage sustainable fisheries and aquatic food systems.Protecting and Restoring Ocean and Aquatic Ecosystems
Integrate “blue carbon” ecosystems (e.g. seagrass meadows) into climate policies.
Implement the 30x30 goal (30% marine protection by 2030) with a dedicated EU roadmap.
Establish a moratorium on deep-sea mining in EU and international waters.Achieving Zero Pollution in European Waters
Tackle marine litter, especially plastics, through binding measures for industry.
Reduce land-based pollution from agriculture, industry, and wastewater.
Apply the precautionary principle and improve wastewater infrastructure.Enhancing Ocean Knowledge, Education and Citizen Engagement
Introduce “blue education” into school curricula and decision-maker training.
Expand EMODnet and the EU Digital Twin of the Ocean.
Support citizen science and transparent seafood labelling.Reforming Ocean Governance in the EU
Create a cross-sectoral Maritime Commissioners Group and a European Sea Agency.
Transform the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee into a broader Marine Committee.
Establish a European Ocean Fund, financed by maritime ETS revenues.Strengthening International Cooperation and Ocean Geostrategy
Assert EU leadership in global agreements (e.g. UNOC3, BBNJ, Plastics Treaty).
Launch a European Sea Rescue Force and safeguard submarine cable infrastructure.
Expand EU-Africa cooperation on ocean sustainability and blue finance.Conclusion:
The ocean is Europe’s most powerful ally in addressing the climate, biodiversity and resource crises. A European Ocean Pact is essential to restore ocean health, unlock economic potential, and assert global leadership. The Manifesto urges the EU to adopt and implement this Pact during the 2024–2029 legislative period as a foundation for a resilient, sustainable and sovereign Europe.
We are pleased that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has already made the Manifesto an integral part of European Ocean Policy, to be launched as The European Ocean Pact on the opening day of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, taking place in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025.
