European Council calls for an ambitious Ocean Pact to foster healthy seas

European leaders recognise the vital importance of the ocean

Press Release Date: March 20, 2025

Location: Madrid

Contact:

Natividad Sánchez | email: nsanchez@oceana.org | tel.: +34 687 598 529

The European Council has underscored the vital importance of the ocean in strengthening Europe’s resilience, security, and sustainability in the face of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. We welcome this recognition and echo the call for a forward-looking Ocean Pact that is bold and binding.

The Blue NGOs call on the European Commission to respond with an European Ocean Pact able to deliver a healthy ocean by 2030: “The European Council’s recognition of the vital importance of the ocean for the resilience of our continent sets a clear mandate for the Commission to come up with an ambitious Ocean Pact. In their conclusions, EU leaders call unambiguously for strengthening environmental sustainability and protection in the face of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Blue NGOs echo their call and demand a bold and binding Oceans Pact, setting clear targets to make this ambition a reality.”

With human pressures mounting, the ocean is at a tipping point. The European Council rightly highlights the strategic role of ocean protection, water resilience, and a sustainable blue economy in ensuring the EU’s competitiveness and security.

Its mandate for the Commission is clear. Now the Commission must heed the warnings of EU countries by unveiling an Ocean Pact that:

 🔹 Guarantees coherence of all ocean-related policies and laws.

 🔹Strengthens implementation and enforcement of key EU texts, with monitoring mechanisms in place.

 🔹Introduces binding targets to safeguard marine ecosystems and support coastal communities.

 🔹 Ensures a Just Transition to a low-impact blue economy, supported by an EU Ocean Fund.

Stronger ocean laws are essential to combat pollution and overexploitation, and protect our ocean and us from the havoc wreaked by climate change.

As preparations continue for the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice (June 2025), the EU must step up its global leadership. The ocean can’t wait. Now is the time to translate commitments into real, enforceable protection for the seas that sustain us all.

Learn more: Blue Manifesto