The ocean shapes our economies, our food systems, even the air we breathe. To better protect our ocean, the European Commission has adopted an Ocean Pact, which will help to promote a thriving blue economy and support the well-being of people living in coastal areas.

At the 2025 UN Ocean Summit, President von der Leyen announced an investment of €1 billion to support ocean conservation, science and sustainable fishing.

This Ocean Pact brings together EU ocean policies under one single and coordinated framework.

It will do so through a collaborative approach between EU countries, regions, and stakeholders, including fishers, innovators, investors, scientists, and civil society. Six priority areas for action will define this work, namely:

• Protecting and restoring ocean health by supporting EU countries in their efforts to restore degraded coastal marine habitats
• Boosting the competitiveness of the EU sustainable blue economy including by strengthening the EU’s maritime industry and by introducing a Blue Generational Renewal Strategy, to foster access to young professionals in marine research, ocean tech, and sustainable fisheries
• Supporting coastal and island communities, and outermost regions by presenting new or updated strategies for these regions and communities
• Enhancing maritime security and defence by strengthening EU coast guard cooperation and maritime border security
• Advancing ocean research, knowledge, skills and innovation by proposing an ambitious EU Ocean Observation Initiative strengthening EU ocean diplomacy and international ocean governance by stepping up its fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Read more: SWEN Capital Partners raises €160 million for ocean impact venture fund

The Commission has committed to halving plastic and nutrient pollution and restoring 20% of Europe’s marine ecosystems by 2030.

The European Ocean Pact will be complemented by an ocean act by 2027, which will help to ensure the implementation of the priorities of the pact.  An EU Ocean Pact dashboard will be used to track progress.