Report | December 3, 2025
Implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation at sea
Climate change, overfishing and habitat degradation are among the primary drivers of declining marine biodiversity. Yet, the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), which entered into force in August 2024, is the most important EU nature conservation law over 30 years and can play a crucial role in mitigating climate change, reversing the loss of nature and supporting thriving coastal communities.
Each Member State is required to develop a National Restoration Plans (NRP), which among other things should set out the measures that will be put in place in order to achieve the NRR’s restoration targets. The Member States must submit draft NRPs to the European Commission by 1 September 2026. The development of the NRPs is a critical moment in implementation of the NRR and for advocacy with national governments and the Commission.
The purpose of this briefing is to provide an overview of the key NRR provisions affecting nature restoration at sea. This should assist stakeholders and policymakers in understanding better how the NRR may affect their work and provide greater knowledge to support advocacy on the implementation of the NRR in Member States, for example through engaging on the development of the NRPs.

