The EU is committed to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. The European research and innovation policy feeds into, drives and accelerates the EU’s transformative Green Deal agenda.
The EU is a model of good practice in sharing marine data and ocean observations. The obligation for EU countries to share marine data and to cooperate at EU and regional level to improve data collection and monitoring is well-established in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Information and data on the state of Europe’s seas is made available in WISE Marine Information System for Europe and on EMODnet.
The Copernicus Marine Service provides free and open marine data and real-time ocean monitoring, forecasting and, together with the Copernicus Climate Change Service, ocean climate monitoring and prediction services, both for EU sea basins and for the global ocean.
The EU is a strong partner in the Future of the Seas & Ocean Initiative under the G7 and the GEO Blue Planet initiative to provide information on the ocean and coasts to the public.
The EU is taking action to promote ocean literacy and will keep supporting citizens’ engagement actions to support changes in perception, values, attitudes, and personal behaviour promoting sustainable practices. The EU has also embarked on a collaboration with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to enhance work on ocean literacy.
Science diplomacy enhances mutual understanding and shared visions and action. The EU reaches out to non-EU countries and organisations with its research partnerships, projects and funding under Horizon Europe and the Global Europe instrument.
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The Commission will host a week-long event to address the pressing issues facing the world's ocean. From 3 to 7 March 2025, the European Ocean Days will bring together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from various fields to discuss sustainable blue economy, fisheries science, and innovative
In 2024, Tetra Tech and partners, a consortium contracted by the European Commission, engaged in a consultation process with EU fishers, their representatives from EU advisory councils, and social partners. The goal was to explore potential future scenarios for the fishing sector by 2050.
The European Commission is actively following up to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) 'Stop finning – Stop the trade,' which asked the Commission for action to end international trade of loose shark fins.