Lisbon, March 5, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Oceano Azul Foundation, together with the Europe Jacques Delors think tank, warned on Thursday in Brussels of the need to treat the oceans as an environmental imperative and a "fundamental priority" in future legislation.
In a document entitled "Building an Ocean Union: Plan for a transformative European Ocean Law", signed by several prominent figures (former commissioners, MEPs and academics), the two organisations warn that a European ocean law should be an opportunity to reformulate European ocean governance and consolidate Europe's position as a global leader in this area.
The European Ocean Law, scheduled for the end of this year and following on from the European Pact for the Ocean (to restore ecosystems and reduce pollution), should strengthen marine protection, harmonise governance and support the so-called "sustainable blue economy".
In the view of the two entities, the future law will have to treat the oceans as "an environmental and climate imperative", but also as a key priority and asset for Europe's competitiveness, security and prosperity.
In their view, the European Union (EU) owes much of its progress to the sea, even though its role has been neglected and it is "one of the most strategic" and competitive assets of the EU.
They believe that the ocean can no longer be seen as a sectoral concern, but rather as critical infrastructure that supports most policy areas, from transport, security, water, climate change, energy, pollution, fisheries and agriculture, diplomacy, food, digital transition, defence, regional development, research, innovation and health.
Europe, they warn in the document, cannot ignore the problems (attacks or competition for routes) or the large coastal tourism industry, offshore renewable energy or the maritime transport sector.
In this regard, they consider that it would be "a terrible missed opportunity" if the new law were limited to revising the EU Maritime Strategy framework directive.
The new law, they emphasise, must at least cover the six priorities defined by the European Commission and advocated by European leaders in the European Ocean Pact: ocean health, the sustainable blue economy, security and defence, ocean diplomacy, coastal, island and outermost regions, and ocean research.
A healthy ocean could sustain a sustainable blue economy worth more than US$3 trillion globally, but financial support continues to flow to obsolete and destructive industries, they warn.
They also point out that the ocean absorbs 93% of the excess planetary heat generated by humans, is home to 80% of the world's biodiversity and produces 50% of the Earth's oxygen.
"In other words, the ocean is what makes our European lifestyle possible. A transformative European Ocean Law should reflect this," they conclude.
FP/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
