COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future
Date: 2021-05-17
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, biodiversity, carbon neutrality, circular economy, coastal protection, common ports policy, integrated maritime policy, marine pollution, maritime economy, resources of the sea, sustainable development

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.5.2021  COM(2021) 240 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future   
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

on a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU 
Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future 

1.  MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM ‘BLUE GROWTH’ TO A ‘SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMY’ 

The  European  Green  Deal1  calls  for  a  transformation  of  our  economy  to  become  a 
modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where net emissions of greenhouse 
gases are phased out and the EU's natural capital is protected. The Recovery Plan for 
Europe2 sets out to boost the green and digital transitions and make Europe’s economy 
fairer,  more  resilient  and  more  sustainable  for  future  generations.  The  European 
Union’s blue economy can help achieve this dual challenge: if put on a more sustainable 
path,  it  will  become  a  font  of  action  and  ideas  creating  innovation,  spurring  fast  and 
lasting recovery and protecting our planet. 

If the global blue economy, were compared to a national economy, it would be the seventh 
largest in the world, and the ocean as an economic entity  would be a member of the G7.  It 
operates in the planet’s vastest ecosystem: oceans hold 97% of all our water and 80% of all 
life forms. The ocean surrounds and sustains us, providing enough oxygen for every second 
breath we take, food for almost half of humanity, and critical resources for human health, not 
to mention a web of economic interactions.  

Europe’s  blue  economy  provides  4.5  million  direct  jobs3,  many  in  regions  where  there  are 
few alternatives. It encompasses all industries and sectors related to oceans, seas and coasts, 
whether  they  are  based  in  the  marine  environment  (e.g.  shipping,  fisheries,  energy 
generation)  or  on  land  (e.g.  ports,  shipyards,  land-based  aquaculture  and  algae  production, 
coastal  tourism).  It  is  a  broad,  fast-moving  segment  of  our  economy,  which  over  the  past 
decade has taken significant steps to modernise and diversify. Alongside  traditional sectors, 
innovative sectors are evolving and growing, such as ocean renewable energy, the blue bio-
economy, bio-technology and desalination, thus providing new prospects and creating jobs. 

These  and  other  economic  activities  have  a  cumulative  impact  on  the  marine  environment, 
from  visible  pollution  such  as  plastic  litter  and  oil  spills  to  invisible  pollution  such  as 
microplastics, underwater noise, chemicals and nutrients. The effects of climate change and 
greenhouse  gas  emissions  are  devastating  on  our  ocean,  coasts  and  people  living  in  those 
areas, ranging from changes in water temperature, to acidification, rising sea levels and more 
frequent  and  intense  flooding  and  erosion.    Coupled  with  the  major  threat  posed  by 
biodiversity loss, which is driven by climate change, pollution, over-exploitation of resources 
and the destruction of natural habitats, these impacts will challenge the resilience of the blue 
economy and society as a whole.  

1 COM(2019) 640 final. 
2 COM(2020) 442 final. 
3 European Commission (2020), The EU Blue Economy Report 2020.  

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
This  communication  takes  a  systemic  view  that  integrates  ocean  policy  into  our 
Europe’s  new  economic  policy.  Our  ocean,  and  the  ‘blue  economy’  it  supports,  is 
indispensable  to  achieving  the  transformation  set  out  in  the  European  Green  Deal. 
Prominent examples are the contributions of oceans to energy production, to the greening of 
transport, and to sustainable food production. The contribution of a healthy ocean is essential 
for a sustainable economy. We need to better connect the green and the blue policies, while 
extending  our  approach  beyond  EU  borders  and  leading  the  way  on  international  ocean 
governance.  

A  sustainable  blue  economy  will  create  tangible  opportunities  for  new  jobs  and 
businesses.  They  will  be  created  by  work  to  mitigate  the  impacts  on  oceans  and  coasts  to 
build  a  resilient  economic  model  based  on  innovation,  a  circular  economy  and  a  respectful 
attitude  to  the  ocean.  This  means  that  businesses  that  use  or  generate  renewable  resources, 
preserve marine ecosystems, reduce pollution and increase resilience to climate change will 
be  incentivised,  while  others  will  need  to  reduce  their  environmental  footprint.  This  is  as 
important  for  people  as  it  is  for  the  planet.  The  2030  Agenda  for  sustainable  development 
acknowledges4,  without  healthy  ocean,  life  on  this  planet  is  at  risk;  without  the  ocean’s 
resources, human societies around the planet lose the ability to sustain themselves. 

This  communication  sets  out  a  detailed  and  realistic  agenda  for  the  blue  economy  to 
play  a  major  role  to  achieve  the  European  Green  Deal’s  objectives.  Thanks  to  its 
dynamism  and  innovation  potential,  the  sector  is  well  placed  to  drive  the  green  transition, 
replacing unchecked expansion with clean, climate-proof and sustainable activities that tread 
lightly  on  the  marine  environment.  The  outdated  notion  that  environmental  protection 
conflicts  with  the  economy  is  giving  way  to  the  realisation  that,  especially  in  the  maritime 
industry, the environment and the economy are intrinsically linked. We need to shift the focus 
from “blue growth” to a sustainable blue economy. 

Europe’s  seas  and  oceans  are  natural  and  essential  allies  in  tackling  the  climate  and 
biodiversity crises. A considerable implementation gap must be bridged to scale up marine 
protection  from  the  current  11%  to  a  30%  area  coverage  by  20305,  meet  ambitious 
depollution targets in our seas and make the most of Europe’s natural and maritime assets to 
attain Europe’s 2030 targets and climate neutrality ambition. This Communication, together 
with the planned research ocean mission6, will set the path to make those goals a reality. 

This  communication  calls  for  blue  economy  operators  to  endorse  the  principles  of  the 
European  Green  Deal.  Over  the  past  15  years,  the  EU  has  laid  a  solid  foundation  for  an 
integrated and synergetic maritime policy in Europe by involving its Member States, regions 
local  stakeholders  and  land-based  green  economy.  The  shift  to  creating  a  sustainable  blue 
economy will rely on even closer engagement with stakeholders, from businesses large and 
small  to  local  groups,  to  young  people  passionate  about  the  health  of  our  ocean  and  the 
general public. It must unite all groups and sectors around a common vision. Complementing 
other current Commission initiatives, this communication presents (in chapter 2) the agenda 
for  the  blue  economy  on  decarbonisation,  conservation  of  our  natural  capital,  the  circular 
economy  and  responsible  food  production.  Though  not  exhaustive,  it  announces  some  new 

4 Sustainable Development Goal 14 - Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for 
sustainable development. 
5 COM(2020) 380 final. 
6 Candidate ocean mission “Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters”. 

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initiatives and describes some of the tools (chapter 3) and enablers (chapter 4) to achieve the 
transition. 

2. 

 TRANSFORMING THE BLUE ECONOMY VALUE CHAINS 

2.1  

Achieving the objectives of climate neutrality and zero pollution 

A sustainable blue economy offers many solutions to achieve the European Green Deal 
objectives.  Many  of  the  current  activities  need  to  reduce  their  carbon  footprint,  while 
new,  carbon-neutral  activities  need  to  take  centre  stage.  The  blue  economy  can 
contribute  to  carbon  neutrality  by  developing  offshore  renewable  energy  and  by 
greening maritime transport and ports. 

The EU aspires to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by at least 55% of 1990 levels by 2030 
and  become  climate  neutral  by  2050.  Offshore  renewable  energy  could  help  meet  these 
targets and generate a quarter of the EU’s electricity in 2050, mainly (though not exclusively) 
through offshore wind energy. A sustainable ocean energy mix should include (in addition to 
bottom-fixed  offshore  wind)  floating  wind,  thermal,  wave  and  tidal  energy  -  emerging 
technologies that are expected to reach commercial stage within ten years. To speed up their 
development,  in  2020  the  Commission  published  a  new  EU  offshore  renewable  energy 
strategy7 that aims to multiply five-fold the capacity for offshore renewable energy by 2030 
and 30-fold by 2050. 

The  European  Green  Deal  calls  for  a  90%  reduction  in  greenhouse  gas  emissions  from  all 
modes of transport, and this includes maritime transport. Our sea lanes are a key link to the 
global trading system. Though it generates comparatively fewer emissions than transport by 
road or air, maritime transport generates both carbon and other polluting emissions due to the 
great  volumes  and  a  heavy  reliance  on  fossil  fuels.  Decarbonising  maritime  transport  (and 
fishing  operations)  will  abate  not  only  greenhouse  gas  emissions,  but  also  air  and  water 
pollution and underwater noise, while opening up new economic opportunities.  
The 2020 communication on a sustainable and smart mobility strategy8 aims to bring the first 
zero  emission  vessels  to  market  by  2030  and  decarbonise  maritime  transport  through  an 
articulate set of measures. These include the possible extension of the EU Emission Trading 
System  to  maritime  transport  and  aligning  the  taxation  of  energy  products  with  EU  energy 
and climate policies when revising the Energy Taxation Directive9. The Commission is also 
considering incorporating new propulsion systems  in the current review of the Recreational 
Craft Directive10, and revising the ship source pollution directive. Meanwhile, the FuelEU11 
initiative  will  boost  the  production  and  uptake  of  renewable  and  low-carbon  fuels  (such  as 
hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, biofuels, synthetic fuels, electricity and other sustainable 
energies such as wind), as well as the use of onshore power supply for ships at berth. Both the 
TEN-T  Regulation  and  the  Alternative  Fuels  Infrastructure  Directives  will  be  revised  and 
aligned  in  this  sense,  namely  to  ensure  a  corresponding  deployment  of  adequate  refuelling 
infrastructure.  EU  shipyards  could  seize  the  opportunities  arising  from  the  fast-growing 

7 COM(2020) 741 final. 
8 COM(2020) 789 final. 
9 Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of 
energy products and electricity. 
10 Directive 2013/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on recreational 
craft and personal watercraft and repealing Directive 94/25/EC. 
11 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12312-FuelEU-Maritime-.  

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markets  of  innovative  energy-efficient  service  vessels  that  should  significantly  reduce  fuel 
consumption and CO2 emissions. 

As  part  of  its  zero-pollution  action  plan,  the  Commission  plans  to  build  on  the  success  of 
existing emission control areas in EU waters by spearheading efforts to designate new areas 
in the Mediterranean Sea (thus potentially leading to a reduction of air emissions of SO2 and 
NOx  from  international  shipping  by  up  to  80%  and  20%  respectively  within  ten  years)  and 
starting similar work in the Black Sea. 

Ports are crucial to the connectivity and the economy of regions and countries. As Europe’s 
industrial landscape changes (for example with the expansion of offshore renewable energy), 
the role of ports will evolve too.  The Commission considers that, beyond transhipment and 
logistics,  their  future  lies  in  developing  their  key  role  as  energy  hubs  (for  integrated 
electricity,  hydrogen12  and  other  renewable  and  low-carbon  fuels  systems),  for  the  circular 
economy  (for  collecting,  transhipping  and  disposing  of  waste  from  ships  and  other  port 
industries,  and  for  decommissioning  ships),  for  communication  (for  submarine  cables),  and 
for industry  (as industrial  clusters).  A further aspect  that helps  achieve decarbonisation and 
zero pollution is the use of smart digital solutions and autonomous systems, as these optimise 
traffic flows and cargo handling in and around ports. Taking up these new roles will improve 
working  conditions  of  operators  and  living  conditions  for  surrounding  communities. 
Specialised leisure ports and fishing ports should also green their operations.  

To support the decarbonisation and depollution of energy production, maritime transport and 
ports, the Commission will: 

-  create a Blue Forum for users of the sea to coordinate a dialogue between offshore 
operators,  stakeholders  and  scientists  engaged  in  fisheries,  aquaculture,  shipping, 
tourism, renewable energy and other activities. It will develop synergies between their 
activities and reconcile competing uses of the sea;  

-  promote the use of EU funds to green maritime transport by  

a)  increasing  the  uptake  of  short-sea  shipping  instead  of  using  more  polluting 

modes;  

b)  renovating the EU’s maritime fleet (e.g. passenger ships and supply vessels for 

offshore installations) to improve their energy efficiency; and  

c)  developing  the  EU’s  highly-advanced  manufacturing  and  technological 

capabilities; 

-  aim  to  use  the  new  European  Maritime,  Aquaculture  and  Fisheries  Fund  to 
support  fishing  fleets  in  adopting  cleaner  engines  and  techniques,  provided  these 
renovations do not generate overcapacity and overfishing; 

-  pursue  the  objective  of  zero-emission  ports,  as  highlighted  in  the  sustainable  and 
smart  mobility  strategy,  including  through  its  work  with  the  sustainable  ports  sub-
group of the European Ports  Forum,  to discuss with relevant  stakeholders and share 
and promote best practices and bottom-up initiatives in greening port services13; 

- 

support  Member  States,  through  the  reinforced  Union  Civil  Protection  Mechanism 
and anti-pollution measures of the European Maritime Safety Agency, to prepare for 
and respond to marine pollution accidents. 

12 COM(2020) 301 final. 
13 The new Atlantic action plan 2.0 also identifies ports as a priority gateways and hubs for the blue economy, 
while the WestMed initiative has set up a technical group on sustainable transport and green shipping.   

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2.2  

Circular economy and preventing waste 

Reducing  the  impacts  of  human  activities  on  the  sea  is  a  collective  responsibility.  The 
blue economy can play a vital role in many aspects of the work to combat pollution and 
can benefit from new opportunities arising from that work. 

Every  year  around  27,000  tonnes  of  macro-plastics  (mostly  single-use  plastics,  lost  or 
discarded  fishing  gear  and  waste  discharged  from  ships)  enter  European  seas14.  Following 
extensive action taken under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive15, EU Member States 
have agreed that  a beach should have fewer than 20 items  of litter for every 100 metres  of 
coastline.  The  significant  commitment  to  keep  Europe’s  seas  clean  will  be  underpinned  by 
the Single-Use Plastics Directive16, which targets the single-use plastic products and fishing 
gear currently representing 70% of marine litter in the EU. Work is underway to do the same 
for  seafloor  litter  and  microplastics.  The  Commission  is  taking  action  to  develop  standards 
for the circular design of fishing gear that facilitate re-use and recyclability when the gear is 
at  end  of  life.  Measures  to  reduce  the  damage  from  lost  and  abandoned  fishing  gear  are 
included in the Commission’s proposal for a revised Fisheries Control Regulation17. The new 
European  Maritime,  Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Fund18  Regulation  will  continue  to  provide 
financial support for fishers to retrieve and collect litter and lost fishing gears19 and to fund 
proper  processing  in  ports  and  landing  sites  as  stipulated  by  the  Port  Reception  Facilities 
Directive20. The EU values the role of fishers as stewards of the sea and encourages this role 
to be further promoted at national level as well as by the industry itself.   

The key, however, is preventing litter from finding its way into the sea in the first place. The 
EU action plan on zero pollution offers a unique opportunity to step up action on pollution 
from  nutrients  (leading to eutrophication), contaminants,  litter (largely  made up of plastics) 
and underwater noise. 

Alongside reducing pollution, it will be crucial to develop circular models and solutions. The 
2020 EU circular economy action plan21 sets forth an ambitious agenda for keeping materials 
and resources in the economy as long as possible and for minimising waste, thus increasing 
circularity.  For  the  recycling  of  large  ships,  the  EU  has  a  unique  and  ambitious  set  of 
standards in the Ship Recycling Regulation22, that the Commission plans to revise by 2023 to 
possibly  extend  its  scope  and  reinforce  the  existing  regime.  For  the  environmentally  sound 
management  and  optimal  treatment  of  decommissioned  offshore  oil  and  gas  platforms,  the 
EU follows the work of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the 
North-East Atlantic and will consider revising the relevant EU legislation. 

14 SWD(2018) 254 final. 
15 Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a 
framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework 
Directive). 
16 Directive (EU) 2019/904 of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the 
environment. 
17 COM(2018) 368 (proposal for revision currently in first reading with the co-legislators). 
18 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Maritime and 
Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council (EMFF) - political agreement from 3 December 2020. 
19 With possible use of connected gears equipped with Internet of Things sensors. 
20 Directive (EU) 2019/883 amending Directive 2010/65/EU. 
21 COM(2020) 98 final. 
22 Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 f the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on ship 
recycling and amending Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 and Directive 2009/16/EC. 

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To tackle the main sources of pollution in  our seas and to  promote recycling solutions,  the 
Commission will: 

- 

- 

take action to halve plastic litter at sea, nutrient loss into the sea and the use and 
risk from chemical pesticides by 2030; 

take  action  to    restrict  intentionally  added  micro-plastics  and  develop  labelling, 
standardisation, certification and regulatory measures on the unintentional release of 
micro-plastics,  including  measures  to  increase  the  capture  of  micro-plastics  at  all 
stages of the product lifecycle;  

-  ensure that litter caught in fishing operations is reported at port, and that fishing gear 
made  from  plastic  is  collected  and  recycled  after  its  use.  The  Commission  will 
prepare the relevant implementing acts and has asked industry standardisation bodies 
to develop standards for recyclable fishing gear; 

-  propose  revising  the  ship  recycling  Regulation23  and  the  EU  requirements  for 
decommissioning  offshore  platforms  to  ensure  proper  protection  of  the  marine 
environment. 

2.3 

Biodiversity and investing in nature 

Biodiversity  conservation  and  protection  should  be  considered  as  foundational 
principles  of  maritime  economic  activity.  Marine  biodiversity  is  not  only  the 
like  fisheries,  bio-technology  and  tourism. 
prerequisite  for  economic  activities 
Biodiversity conservation and restoration also present economic opportunities. 

As highlighted in the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, expanding protection to 30% of the 
EU’s  sea  area  and  creating  ecological  corridors  will  reverse  biodiversity  loss,  contribute  to 
climate  mitigation  and  resilience  and  at  the  same  time  generate  significant  financial  and 
social benefits.   Investments in marine protected areas, in particular strictly protected areas, 
have  been  shown  to  generate  rich  economic  return  and  multiply  the  amount  of  fish  and 
marine life where protection is effective.   

Preserving  and  restoring  coastal  vegetation  systems  such  as  tidal  marshes,  mangroves  and 
seagrasses  –  which  accumulate  ‘blue  carbon’24  in  their  plants,  soils  and  sediments  –  can 
contribute  considerably  to  the  European  Green  Deal’s  decarbonisation  targets.  Preserving 
blue  carbon  sequestration  also  goes  hand  in  hand  with  preserving  coastal  biodiversity. 
Similarly, designing artificial reefs, restoring important sea-bed habitats (coral reefs, macro-
algal forests and others), and developing solutions to depollute areas or fight eutrophication 
are key to rebuilding biodiversity and thus the resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems. 
All these activities may form part of an economic sector in its own right. Clearly, all potential 
impacts  must  be  addressed  in  a  holistic  way  for  them  to  be  truly  sustainable.  Blue 
biotechnologies  also  offer  solutions  to  produce  materials,  enzymes,  food  supplements  and 
pharmaceuticals.  

Taking  a  forward-looking,  ecosystem-based  management  approach  under  EU  legislation25 
will reduce the adverse impacts of fishing, mineral extraction and other human activities on 

23 Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on ship 
recycling and amending Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 and Directive 2009/16/EC. 
24 Carbon stored by coastal and ocean ecosystems. 
25 In this regard, full  implementation of the  following acts is essential: Marine Strategy  Framework Directive 
(2008/56/EC),  Birds  Directive  (2009/147/EC),  Habitats  Directives  (92/43/EEC),  Directive  2011/92/EU, 

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marine  ecosystems,  particularly  on  sensitive  species  and  seabed  habitats.  To  minimise  the 
environmental  impacts  of  fishing  on  marine  habitats,  the  Commission  has  brought  in 
measures such as specifications for fishing gear and mesh sizes, closed areas and seasons. It 
is now preparing a report on implementation of these measures and will publish a new action 
plan  with  the  aim  of  further  reconciling  fishing  –  including  bottom-contact  fishing  –  with 
biodiversity  goals.  This  includes introducing measures, where necessary, to  limit  the use of 
fishing  gear  most  harmful  to  biodiversity,  including  the  use  of  bottom-contacting  fishing 
gear,  which  is  now  the  most  damaging  activity  to  seabed.  The  European  Maritime, 
Aquaculture  and  Fisheries  Fund  will  support  the  transition  to  more  selective  and  less 
damaging fishing techniques.  

To preserve and restore marine biodiversity, the Commission will: 

- 

table a proposal for legally binding EU targets to restore degraded ecosystems, in 
particular major fish spawning and nursery areas and areas with the greatest potential 
to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce natural disasters; 

-  propose  a  new  action  plan  to  conserve  fisheries  resources  and  protect  marine 
ecosystems by the end of 2021, which will in particular look into actions necessary to 
protect sensitive species and habitats;  

-  work with Member States, regions and the European Environment Agency to identify 
and designate additional marine protected areas and to define strict protection by 
the end of 2021; 

-  promote  and  support  local  participatory  initiatives  (such  as  community-led  local 
development groups, fisheries local action groups etc.) that combine the regeneration 
of marine resources with the preservation of local livelihoods. 

2.4 

Coastal resilience  

Protecting  our  natural  and  economic  assets  and  infrastructure  means  adapting  to  the 
inevitable consequences of climate change. As an alternative to building yet more ‘grey’ 
infrastructure (dams, dikes or concrete barriers), climate adaptation should be based on 
natural  and  nature-based  solutions  –  wetlands  such  as  salt  marshes,  seagrass  fields, 
mangroves and dunes, for instance. In coastal regions, developing green infrastructure 
will  help  preserve  biodiversity,  coastal  ecosystems  and  landscapes,  strengthening  the 
sustainable  development  of  tourism  and  of  the  coastal  regions’  economy.  These 
adaptation activities will become a new sector of the blue economy in its own right.   

About  one  third  of  the  EU  population  lives  within  50  km  of  the  coast.  Over  200  million 
citizens live in coastal regions or on one of Europe’s many islands.  The IPCC indicated in 
2018 that sea levels are likely to rise by 2100 between 0.4 and 0.8m and, if global greenhouse 
gas emissions stayed on their current trend, in a likely range of up to 1.1m26.  Beyond 2100 
sea levels will continue to rise for centuries, due to continuing heat uptake and loss of Arctic 
and  Antarctic  ice.  In  addition,  due  to  climate  change,  the  likelihood  of  extreme  weather 

Directive  2001/42/EC,  Regulation  (EU)  No  1380/2013  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  11 
December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and 
of  the  Council  of  20  June  2019  on  the  conservation  of  fisheries  resources  and  the  protection  of  marine 
ecosystems through technical measures, EU biodiversity strategy (COM(2020) 380 final).  
26 Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report: Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in 
a  Changing  Climate,  Summary  for  Policy  Makers,  section  B.3.1,  https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/summary-
for-policymakers/. 

7 

 
 
                                                                                                                                                                                     
events that emanate from the seas and oceans and that cause severe damage  to populations, 
economic assets and infrastructures will increase by orders of magnitude.  

EU  public  spending  on  protecting  coastlines  from  the  risk  of  erosion  and  flooding  is 
estimated  at  over  EUR  5  billion  a  year  for  1990-202027.  On  the  other  hand,  the  cost  of 
inaction would amount to 340-360 billion euro per year in terms of lost ecosystem services 
along  EU  coasts.  A  quantum  leap  in  investigating  and  planning  a  common  response  is 
needed.  The  new  EU  strategy  on  adaptation  to  climate  change28  sets  out  a  response 
framework  through  smarter,  faster  and  more  systemic  adaptation  in  the  EU  and  stronger 
international  action  for  climate  resilience.  Applying  the  guidelines  of  that  strategy,  the 
Commission will: 

-  work  to  close  the  knowledge  gaps  and  stimulate  innovation  for  increased  climate 
resilience  for  coastal  areas;  including  through  a  new  comparative  analysis  of 
traditional and nature-based solutions;   

-  work to boost the capacity for Copernicus and EMODNet observation, modelling and 
forecasting  to  better  anticipate  the  effects  of  extreme  weather  events  (e.g.  floods, 
storm surges) and regional sea-level rise; 

- 

stimulate cooperation between coastal regions and islands sharing common needs 
in the same sea basin to develop adaptation strategies and joint approaches to coastal 
zone management29, invest in sustainable coastal defences and adapt coastal economic 
activities; 

-  assist Member States in long-term planning to phase in investments, with support 

from EU funds.   

2.5 

Responsible food systems  

By using marine resources better and by choosing alternative sources of food and feed, 
the blue economy can  help alleviate pressure  on our climate and on natural  resources 
for food production.  

One  of  the  sectors  responsible  for  carbon  emissions,  pollution  and  biodiversity  loss  is  the 
current system of food production and consumption. Putting the system on a sustainable path 
is the aim of the Commission’s farm to fork strategy30, with a comprehensive approach that 
ripples  through  to  many  aspects  of  the  blue  economy.  This  includes  responsible  fishing  to 
bring stocks to sustainable levels, sustainable aquaculture to complement the natural limits of 
wild captures and algae production as an alternative to agriculture.  

European  fisheries  have  made  considerable  strides  towards  bringing  Europe’s  fish  stocks 
back  to  sustainable  levels  and  meeting  the  common  fisheries  policy’s  sustainability 
standard31,  particularly  in  the  North-East  Atlantic.  But  important  challenges  remain, 
including reducing unwanted catches and discards through more selective fishing techniques. 

27 https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/europes-seas-and-coasts.  
28 SEC(2021) 89 final. 
29 Council Decision 2010/631/EU of 13 September 2010 concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European 
Union, of the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean to the Convention for the 
Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean. 
30 COM(2020) 381 final. 
31 Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the 
Common  Fisheries  Policy,  amending  Council  Regulations  (EC)  No 1954/2003  and  (EC)  No  1224/2009  and 
repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC.  

8 

 
 
                                                           
Discards  generate  substantial  waste  and  undermine  both  the  sustainable  exploitation  of 
marine  biological  resources  and  the  viability  of  fisheries.  The  ongoing  revision  of  the  EU 
fisheries  control  regulation,  the  associated  debate  on  the  lack  of  control  on  the  landing 
obligation,  and  the  need  to  fully  document  fisheries  and  by-catches  of  sensitive  species 
corroborate how important it is to transition from traditional control methods to new digital 
systems. 

Digitisation and advanced tools for fisheries (such as remote electronic monitoring systems, 
catch  reporting  using  mobile  applications,  ecosystem  modelling  and  artificial  intelligence 
tools)  can  optimise  fishing  operations  and  at  the  same  time  enable  data  collection  and 
analysis,  improve  control  and  monitoring,  reduce  administrative  burden  and  ultimately 
support  the  sustainable  management  of  marine  biological  resources  without  requiring 
physical presence. Such high-tech systems may well become standard features in the fishing 
industry.  Promoting  an  EU-based  digital  know-how  for  the  fishing  industry  would  create  a 
new generation of jobs.  

When managed in a sustainable way, aquaculture is a valuable, low-impact source of food 
and feed. EU aquaculture meets high standards in terms of product quality and animal health, 
but  there  is  still  margin  for  improvement  in  terms  of  diversification32,  competitiveness  and 
environmental performance. Low-impact aquaculture (such as low-trophic, multi-trophic and 
organic aquaculture), and environmental services from aquaculture can, if further developed, 
greatly  contribute  to  the  European  Green  Deal,  to  the  farm-to-fork  strategy  and  to  a 
sustainable  blue  economy.  The  new  strategic  guidelines  for  EU  aquaculture33  set  out  the 
vision and an operational  path  to  achieve this transformation.  They support best  practice to 
ensure good environmental performance and encourage circular practices in aquaculture, for 
instance through environmental monitoring of sites and waste management. The action plan 
for the development of the organic food sector34 contains a number of initiatives specifically 
aimed at boosting organic aquaculture production in the EU.   

In addition to their potential to produce bio-based products and bio-fuels, algae can provide 
viable  and  sustainable  alternative  food  and  feed  materials.  Algae-based  food  can  alleviate 
environmental  pressures  exerted  by  agriculture,  aquaculture,  and  fisheries.  Investing  in 
micro-algae as a new source of animal feed can help reduce catches of wild fish for animal 
feed.  Although  combatting  eutrophication  primarily  requires  reducing  pollution  at  source, 
producing  algae  in  the  sea  can  help  remove  excess  carbon,  nitrogen  and  phosphorus  from 
water.  The  introduction  of  new  algae-  and  sea-based  food  and  feed  products  into  the 
European  Union  market  is  a  major  opportunity  for  the  development  of  a  sustainable  food 
sector. Although several products are already on the market, the introduction of new algae-
based foods may be subject  to  the requirements  of the Novel  Food Regulation35 and a pre-

32 The EU still imports over 70% of the seafood it consumes. Aquaculture products only represent 25% of the 
EU’s  seafood  consumption,  and  EU  aquaculture  for  under  2%  of  global  aquaculture  production.  Aquaculture 
production remains highly concentrated in terms of both EU Member States and species farmed, hence the high 
potential for diversification.  
33 COM(2021) 236 final. 
34 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12555-Organic-farming-action-plan-
for-the-development-of-EU-org. 
35 Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on novel 
foods, amending Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing 
Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EC) 
No 1852/2001. 

9 

 
 
                                                           
market authorisation. The Commission will also explore the potential of cell-based seafood as 
an innovative and sustainable alternative. 

Consumer demand for low environmental footprint and short supply chains is growing. At the 
same time, the growing  efforts  made by fishers and fish farmers to  achieve product  quality 
need  to  be  rewarded  by  the  market.  The  farm  to  fork  action  plan  includes  initiatives  on  a 
sustainable food-labelling framework that will enable consumers to make informed choices.  
An EU code of conduct for responsible business and marketing in the food supply chain will 
seek  ambitious  commitments  from  the  middle  part  of  the  chain,  which  will  uphold  the 
sustainability  efforts  of  fishers  and  fish-farmers  and  ultimately  make  seafood  value  chains 
more  sustainable.  To  strengthen  the  position  of  consumers  and  help  ensure  that  the  EU 
market  for  fisheries  and  aquaculture  products  is  a  level  playing  field,  the  EU  seafood 
marketing standards will be modernised. 

To build sustainable food systems in the blue economy the Commission will: 

- 

table  by  2023  a  legislative  proposal  for  a  framework  that  will  include  fisheries  and 
aquaculture products,  to  accelerate and facilitate  the transition  towards a  sustainable 
food system; 

-  put  forward  in  2022  a  legislative  proposal  for  modern,  sustainable  marketing 
standards  for  seafood  to  provide  comparable  information  to  consumers  and 
operators in the supply chain on the environmental and social sustainability of seafood 
and on its carbon footprint; 

-  adopt  a  dedicated  initiative  on  algae  in  202236  to  support  the  development  of  the 
EU’s algae industry.  The initiative will facilitate the authorisation of algae as novel 
foods  by  cutting  application  costs,  facilitate  market  access,  increase  consumer 
awareness  and  acceptance  of  algae  products  and  close  gaps  in  knowledge,  research 
and innovation; 

- 

support  the  digital  transition  of  fisheries  control  and  promote  the  enforcement  of 
fisheries  rules  by  revising  the  fisheries  control  system  in  order  to  move  towards 
advanced digital control mechanisms for fisheries; 

-  assess the potential and research and investment needs regarding cell-based seafood; 

- 

in  implementing  the common fisheries policy, strengthen fisheries  management in 
the  Mediterranean  and  the  Black  sea,  working  closely  with  all  stakeholders  on  the 
prompt 
the  Western  Mediterranean  multiannual  fisheries 
management plan.  

implementation  of 

3.  SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMY 

3.1  Ocean knowledge  

Reliable, high-quality and harmonised ocean data are the prerequisite for a sustainable 
transformation of the blue economy. Better knowledge of the ocean and its ecosystems, 
together  with  free  access  to  data,  will  enable  industry,  public  authorities  and  civil 
society to make informed decisions.  

36 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12780-Towards-a-strong-and-
sustainable-EU-Algae-sector. 

10 

 
 
 
                                                           
Through  common  standards  and  open  access  principles,  EMODnet37  collates 
the 
measurements of hundreds of institutions to make the EU a model of best practice in sharing 
marine data and ocean observations. The Copernicus marine environment service provides 
satellite data and forecasting services in the EU sea basins and in the world. Work is ongoing 
to  improve  the  digitalisation  of  the  ocean,  the  resolution  and  usability  of  the  data  and  to 
transform this data into knowledge and tools for the benefit of a wide range of stakeholders. 
This work, in particular the development of the Digital Twin of the Ocean38 as a component 
of  the  Destination  Earth  initiative,  involves  several  international  institutions  and  will  help 
tackle  complex  environmental  changes  and 
their  socio-economic  consequences  by 
monitoring and simulating ocean developments. It will also be a tangible contribution to the 
United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development39. 

Socio-economic data are important inputs for policy makers and for businesses, who have to 
make  snap  decisions  in  a  rapidly  evolving  environment,  especially  in  times  of  crisis.  Since 
2018,  the  Blue  Economy  Report  has  mapped  the  blue  economy  in  the  EU.  A  user-friendly 
Blue Economy Indicators40 tool tracks economic progress. The European Market Observatory 
for Fisheries and Aquaculture41 and the Blue Bioeconomy Report have collected, curated and 
disseminated data on the fishery and aquaculture markets and on innovative uses of marine 
biological resources. Since the beginning of the pandemic, new and more frequent analyses 
have assessed the impacts on the sector in real time, enabling operators to anticipate changes 
to rules and consumption patterns, adapt and recover faster. This contributes to the European 
Green Deal’s goal to build a more resilient food supply chain.  

To  create  the  knowledge  needed  for  the  transition  to  a  sustainable  blue  economy,  the 
Commission will: 

-  prepare  by  2022  an  Ocean  Observation  Initiative  to  structure  and  harmonise  the 
collection  of  data  in  the  oceans  for  different  purposes,  such  as  environmental 
monitoring, fisheries and aquaculture management, research, safe navigation; 

- 

- 

set up in 2021 a Blue Economic Observatory with the Commission’s Joint Research 
Centre which will publish annual blue economy reports and provide updates on the 
progress in decarbonising the blue economy; 

release  a  stable  methodology  to  integrate  the  concept  of  ‘natural  capital’  in 
economic decisions. This implies assessing and quantifying both the economic value 
of marine ecosystem services and the socio-economic costs and benefits derived from 
keeping the marine environment healthy; 

-  expand the Copernicus marine service as an EU reference for ocean forecasting and 

an ocean climate centre for global, pan-European coastal services; 

- 

further invest in modelling to better monitor live ecosystems and fisheries resources in 
time and space. 

37https://emodnet.eu/en. EMODnet brings  together  more than 120 organisations  to provide data  on the  marine 
environment across seven disciplinary areas: bathymetry, geology, seabed habitats, chemistry, biology, physics 
and  human  activities.  The  data  are  processed  to  make  them  ‘FAIR’  (easy  to  find,  easy  to  access,  easy  to  put 
together and easy to use, or Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).  
38 The thematic digital twin on oceans will be programmed and added to the Destination Earth system from 
2023 onwards. 
39 https://www.oceandecade.org/.  
40 https://blueindicators.ec.europa.eu/  
41 EUMOFA: https://www.eumofa.eu/.  

11 

 
 
 
                                                           
All the above initiatives are in line with the European Commission’s European data strategy42 
in that they make public-sector data available for re-use and enable data to flow freely within 
the  EU  and  across  sectors,  to  the  benefit  of  businesses,  researchers  and  public 
administrations. 

3.2  Research and innovation 

Marine  and  maritime  research  and  innovation  are  essential  for  achieving  the  EU’s 
ambition  to  become  climate-neutral  by  2050,  for  protecting  and  restoring  marine 
ecosystems  and  for  making  the  blue  economy  a  font  of  ideas  and  action  to  generate 
sustainable innovation. 

Innovative  technologies  such  as  big  data,  artificial  intelligence,  advanced  modelling, 
sophisticated  sensors  and  autonomous  systems  are  likely  to  transform  the  blue  economy  in 
the  immediate  future.  New  technologies  can  enable  traditional  sectors  such  as  shipping, 
fisheries and tourism to improve their sustainability and circularity; emerging sectors such as 
blue  biotechnologies,  offshore  renewable  energies  and  maritime  security  rest  on  innovation 
for their very existence. Through innovation, coastal communities can rebuild or reshape their 
economies  and  become  local  drivers  of  sustainability.  Community-led  local  development, 
funded through the European Maritime, Aquaculture and Fisheries Fund, is a powerful tool to 
drive this process43. 

The role of research and innovation in driving the transformation needed to achieve the Green 
Deal  cannot  be  overstressed.  R&I  investment  under  Horizon  Europe  will  support  the 
transformation process to create sustainable blue economy value chains and enable the twin 
green and digital transitions. The new missions and European partnerships under the Horizon 
Europe programme will play a critical role by empowering citizens and practitioners (small 
and medium-sized enterprises, academia, researchers, public authorities and investors) to co-
design and co-implement solutions. 

In close alignment with Horizon Europe, smart specialisation strategies help boost innovation 
in  the  context  of  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund.  The  new  Interregional 
Innovation  Investment  initiative  will  support  interregional  projects  that  develop  European 
value  chains,  while  the  EU  Climate  Action  Innovation  Fund  will  support  demonstration 
projects of low-carbon technologies in the marine environment.  

The  Commission  will  develop  a  pan-European  innovation  ecosystem  for  a  sustainable  blue 
economy through the following initiatives: 

-  The candidate mission “Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters” will aim 
to  reduce  the  disturbance  of  marine  ecosystems,  regenerate  marine  and  freshwater 
ecosystems,  tackle  biodiversity  loss  and  pollution  and  promote  blue  economy 
solutions to become climate neutral;  

-  The new European partnership for a climate-neutral, sustainable and productive 
blue  economy,  due  to  start  in  2023,  will  take  the  shape  of  a  public  initiative  co-
funded by the EU, national governments and national research funding agencies.  

3.3 Investment 

Meeting  the  objectives  of  the  European  Green  Deal  will  require  making  big 
investments.  By  2030,  one  third  of  investments  in  the  blue  economy  could  still  be 

42 COM(2020) 66 final. 
43 Several examples can be found in their network: FARNET. 

12 

 
 
                                                           
unsustainable. It is crucial that the issues of sustainability described above (chapter 2) 
are now mainstreamed into all investment decisions, whatever their source.  

In terms of private capital, the Commission, the European Investment Bank and the WWF, 
in cooperation with private and public financial institutions, have defined a set of sustainable 
ocean-specific principles and standards. So far, over 50 financial institutions have joined the 
voluntary  Sustainable  Blue  Economy  Finance  Initiative44.  An  important  tool  to  define 
sustainable  maritime  economic  activities  will  be  the  EU  taxonomy  for  sustainable 
investments currently under development. 

EU  public  funding  remains  crucial  for  less  mature  technologies  and  projects  that  need  to 
bring in investors, bring down costs and uncertainties, and accelerate market entry. The new 
InvestEU  programme  will  be  highly  relevant  for  maritime  transport,  ports  and  offshore 
renewable  energies,  as  well  as  for  biodiversity  conservation  and  restoration,  sustainable 
aquaculture and ocean observation. For transport, for example, renewing or retrofitting ships 
with low and zero-emission technologies would sustain a manufacturing industry that gives 
Europe  a  strategic  advantage.  For  new  offshore  renewable  energy  projects,  de-risking  and 
reducing the cost of capital can produce a positive chain reaction incentivising private capital 
and new investment.  

The  cohesion  policy  funds  will  continue  to  support  projects  that  assist  the  transition  with 
green  and  net  zero-carbon  solutions  in  maritime  transport,  decarbonise  port  infrastructures 
and  deploy  renewable  energies,  as  well  as  circular  economy  ventures  and  local  climate 
adaptation measures. In addition, the Recovery and Resilience Facility will support Member 
States in their transition to a modern, resource-efficient, competitive and resilient economy. 
The  relevant  national  plans  are  expected  to  support  reforms  and  investments  in  blue 
technologies and capacities, and the Facility will exclude measures that do significant harm to 
the environment or undermine the sustainable use of marine resources.  

To  scale  up  public  and  private  investment  in  key  priorities  under  this  Communication,  the 
Commission will cooperate with European financial institutions: 

-  The Commission will work with the European Investment Bank to align efforts to 
reduce  pollution  in  European  seas,  in  particular  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  Both 
investors  and  public 
institutions  will  consider  means 
development banks to join that effort; 

incentivise  private 

to 

-  The  Commission  will  cooperate  with  the  European  Investment  Fund  to  explore  a 
framework that would facilitate the use of shared management financial  instruments 
for a sustainable blue economy; 

-  To  help  smaller  businesses  that  have  transformative  ideas  but  have  a  hard  time 
accessing  private  capital,  the  Commission’s  BlueInvest45  platform  will  provide 
customised support, visibility, access to investors and investment-readiness advice. In 
this  context,  the  EU  budgetary  guarantee  under  InvestEU,  combined  with  sectorial 
programme financial contributions from the EU budget, will leverage private capital 
to finance venture capital for ‘blue tech’ start-ups and early-stage companies;       

44 https://www.unepfi.org/blue-finance/.  
45 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/en/frontpage/1451.  

13 

 
 
                                                           
-  The forthcoming revision of the State aid rules and the Renewable Energy Directive 
will lay down conditions to support the roll out of clean energy, including renewable 
offshore energy, in an environment-friendly and cost-effective way. 

3.4 Blue skills and jobs  

Despite  a  generalised  slowdown  in  the  job  market  due  to  the  pandemic,  the  twin 
transition offers huge employment potential. To achieve this potential, it is paramount 
that  companies  working  on  the  cutting  edge  of  technology  can  draw  on  a  qualified 
workforce.  We  also  need  to  improve  the  public  perception  of  careers  in  the  blue 
economy. 

On the blue economy’s labour market, the transition is already giving rise to job vacancies - 
up  to  30%  of  offshore  renewable  energy  companies,  for  instance,  complain  either  that  the 
skills they need are unavailable or there are shortages in existing skills (e.g. technicians). In 
the offshore wind energy sector alone, the number of jobs could triple by 2030.  

The  new  European  Skills  Agenda46  helps  businesses  and  individuals  adapt  to  digitalised 
processes and new technologies through upskilling and reskilling. As part of the ‘Blueprints 
for  sectorial  cooperation  on  skills47,  the  maritime  alliance  for  the  development  of  skills  for 
marine technology48 launched under Erasmus+ will indicate by the end of 2021 how to bridge 
the skills gaps in the offshore renewable energy and shipbuilding industries and will propose 
a skills strategy to be rolled out at national and regional levels.  

The Blue Careers programme, which since 2016 has provided grants to retrain and reskill the 
blue  economy  workforce,  will  now  expand  to  cover  the  training  needs  stemming  from  the 
European  Green  Deal  and  the  sanitary  crisis.  To  promote  gender  balance  in  the  maritime 
professions,  the  Commission  will  invest  in  data  collection,  consolidation  and  analysis  on 
women working in the maritime sector.  

In  2021,  the  Commission  put  forward  an  ambitious  action  plan  to  implement  the  European 
Pillar  of  Social  Rights  and  its  20  principles  across  the  EU.  The  European  Maritime, 
Aquaculture  and  Fisheries  Fund  specifically  supports  training  and  upskilling  for  fishers,  as 
well as other initiatives to invest in people, upskilling, and social dialogue. Several other EU 
funds (e.g. European Social Fund+ and Technical Support Instrument) also invest in people, 
jobs and skills. The EU is committed to improving occupational health and safety at sea by 
working  both  on  the  training  of  workers  in  blue  jobs  and  on  improving  the  working 
conditions of seafarers and fishers49. 

The Commission aims to: 

-  encourage and facilitate the creation of skills partnerships under the Pacts for Skills 
in  the  industrial  ecosystems  relevant  for  the  blue  economy  as  identified  in  the  EU 
Industrial Strategy (such as in offshore renewable energy or shipbuilding); 

46 COM(2020) 274 final. 
47 The blueprint proposes to key stakeholders (business, trade unions, research institutes, education and training 
institutions  and  public  authorities)  to  form  sector-specific  partnerships,  develop  skills  strategies  and  concrete 
learning and training programmes to bridge skills gaps in their sectors. 
48 https://www.projectmates.eu/.  
49 In line with internationally recognized principles and frameworks, including the UN Sustainable Development 
Goals,  the  ILO  Declaration  on  Fundamental  Principles  and  Rights  at  Work,  and  the  Maritime  Labour 
Convention. 

14 

 
 
                                                           
 
- 

launch in 2022, under the European Maritime, Aquaculture and Fisheries Fund, a new 
call for proposals on blue careers and a specific call for proposals on women aiming 
at increasing women’s representation in the workforce and raising their profile in the 
formal governance of the blue economy;  

-  promote  the  transposition  or  adoption  of  International  Labour  Organisation  and 
International  Maritime  Organisation’s  conventions  to  improve  working  conditions 
and  harmonise  training  requirements  for  crew  members  and  thus  raise  the 
profession’s image. 

4.  CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE GOVERNANCE  

Oceans and seas create benefits for all but they risk being overexploited, without regard for 
the consequences. This creates the need for broadly accepted rules and conventions on space 
planning,  citizen  engagement,  regional  cooperation,  maritime  security  and  international 
policy. 

4.1  Maritime spatial planning  

The greater the demand for use of maritime space, the more crucial it is to have spatial 
planning.  Maritime  spatial  planning  is  an  essential  tool  to  prevent  conflict  between 
policy  priorities  and  to  reconcile  nature  conservation  with  economic  development. 
Public  consultation  involving  both  citizens  and  stakeholders  is  a  fundamental  part  of 
the maritime spatial planning process. 

Maritime  spatial  planning  plays  a  central  role  in  delivering  Europe’s  decarbonisation  and 
biodiversity protection objectives. The EU biodiversity strategy clearly states that, to apply an 
ecosystem-based management approach, national maritime spatial plans should aim to cover 
all  maritime  sectors  and  activities,  as  well  as  area-based  conservation  and  management 
measures.  Planning  also  improves  the  level  of  certainty  and  predictability  of  private 
investments  and  can  promote  synergies  between  economic  sectors.  The  Maritime  Spatial 
Planning  Directive50  ensures  that potential negative impacts  on the natural environment  are 
identified and avoided at a very early stage in the planning process and that national maritime 
spatial  plans  are  coherent  with  national  energy  and  climate  plans,  as  well  as  with  good 
environmental status as defined in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.  

The Commission will: 

- 

report  on  the  implementation  of  the  EU  Directive  on  Maritime  Spatial  Planning  in 
2022,  following  the  adoption  of  national  maritime  spatial  plans  in  March  2021,  and 
prepare proposals on how the Commission can facilitate cross-border cooperation 
and  encourage  Member  States  to  integrate  objectives  of  off-shore  renewable  energy 
development in their national spatial plans;  

- 

start a  review of the Maritime Strategy Framework Directive in 2021 and, based 
on the outcome, possibly revise the Directive by 2023; 

-  prepare  guidance on an ecosystem-based  approach to  maritime spatial  planning 
and  promote  the  multi-use  of  marine  space  by  combining  different  activities  in  the 
same location (for instance, mariculture and offshore renewable energy systems). 

50  Directive  2014/89/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  23  July  2014  establishing  a 
framework for maritime spatial planning. 

15 

 
 
 
                                                           
4.2   Citizen engagement and ocean literacy 

The  policy  for  a  sustainable  blue  economy  will  both  encourage  and  be  improved  by 
citizen engagement.  

European citizens and especially young people highly value the health of seas and oceans and 
are  supportive  of  a  sustainable  approach  to  them.  Public  concern  for  plastic  litter  in  the 
oceans shows this, though it remains crucial to expand public awareness of the importance of 
seas  and  oceans  for  life  on  the  planet.  Modern  mobile  applications  allow  citizens  to  track, 
monitor  or  report  on  observed  environmental  damage.  One  of  the  tasks  of  the  candidate 
ocean mission is to use new ways to engage and empower EU citizens. This will help ensure 
the  environmental  integrity  of  future  undertakings,  and  will  directly  support  the  European 
Green Deal. 

-  The  EU4Ocean  Coalition51,  an  initiative  recently  set  up  by  the  Commission,  will 
create  networks  for  European  schools,  which  will  bring  the  ocean  issue  into  the 
classrooms.  It  will enable organisations working on ocean conservation to run joint 
projects to engage citizens and amplify the impact and outreach.  

-  The  Commission  will  cooperate  with 

the  Intergovernmental  Oceanographic 
Commission of UNESCO, Member States and international partners to contribute to 
the ocean literacy programme of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable 
Development 2021-2030. 

4.3  Sea basins, regional cooperation and support for coastal regions 

Coastal  regions  and  islands  are  key  players  in  the  blue  economy.  Because  they  often 
share the same sea basin, there is a clear added value in addressing common challenges 
and  protecting  common  goods  through  regional  cooperation.  The  EU  will  continue  to 
support cooperation, develop tailored strategies for each European sea basin and extend 
the  same  cooperative  approach  to  neighbouring  countries  that  share  with  the  EU  a 
basin, marine living resources and geo-economic features.  

Sea-basin  strategies  are  proving  effective  in  that  they  bring  together  a  broad  range  of 
stakeholders  (national  governments,  coastal  regions,  cities,  research  institutes,  education 
networks and business) and allow them to channel work on specific projects and actions that 
support  a  sustainable  blue  economy,  like,  for  instance,  sustainable  tourism  offers.  The 
Commission supports sea-basin and macro-regional frameworks for cooperation, i.e. the 2020 
Atlantic action plan52; the Western Mediterranean maritime strategy53; the common maritime 
agenda for the Black sea54, the EU strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region55 and the EU 
strategy for the Baltic Sea region56; 

Over half of the EU’s tourist accommodation establishments are located in coastal areas and 
30%  of  overnight  stays  are  at  beach  resorts.  A  pillar  of  the  blue  economy  and  deeply 
interconnected  to  many  of  its  other  sectors,  maritime  and  coastal  tourism  has  suffered 
severe  effects  from  the  pandemic.  The  lock-downs  have  affected  jobs  and  livelihoods  and 
significantly  reduced  the  sector’s  capacity  to  invest  in  developing  more  resilient  and 
sustainable  services  and  supply  chains.  Investments  are  needed  to  bring  about  social 

51 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/en/node/4484.  
52 http://www.atlanticstrategy.eu/en.  
53 https://www.westmed-initiative.eu/. 
54 https://blackseablueconomy.eu/206/common-maritime-agenda-black-sea. 
55 https://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/.  
56 https://www.balticsea-region-strategy.eu/about/about.  

16 

 
 
                                                           
resilience  and  stimulate  job  creation  and  economic  opportunities  for  coastal  communities. 
Against this background, the Commission has set a framework to re-enable safe tourism and 
pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable sector57.  

If  climate  friendly,  sustainable  travel  experiences  have  been  on  the  rise  among  travellers’ 
expectations in recent years, the pandemic has further boosted the demand for “slow tourism” 
and outdoor, nature-based destinations. Sustainability is expected to become more prominent 
in  tourism  choices,  with  regional  and  local  destinations  driving  the  recovery58.    These 
ambitions  and  trends  towards  more  sustainable  tourism  ecosystem  should  guide  the  use  of 
financial resources and investment at European, national, regional and local level.  

The  European  Green  Deal  commits  to  paying particular  attention  to  the  role  of  the  EU’s 
outermost regions, mindful of their vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters and 
their unique assets of biodiversity and renewable energy sources.  

To support recovery in coastal regions, the Commission aims to: 

-  help cities and regions manage the green and digital transition at local level and make 
full  use  of  EU  funds  and  incentives.    The  Commission  will  develop  a  support 
package (a “Blueprint for Local Green Deals”) as well as strategic guidance (e.g. the 
“Intelligent  Cities  Challenge”.  It  will  urge  Member  States  to  embed  sea-basin  and 
macro-regional strategies into the programming of EU funds59; 

-  promote and support, through EU funds, the development of marine and coastal eco-
tourism.  EU  support  will  aim  to  showcase  the  diverse  maritime  heritage  of  the 
continent,  manage  tourist  flows  smartly,  diversify  the  offer  and  extend  off-
season tourism; 

-  continue to  support outermost regions,  in  line  with  its 2017 Communication60,  in 
seizing  the  opportunities  offered  by  their  large  exclusive  economic  zones,  in 
protecting their exceptionally diverse ecosystems, in developing their own sustainable 
blue  economy  strategies  and  in  exchanging  best  practices  to  address  their  common 
climate adaptation challenges; 

-  continue  to  invest  in  a  special  relationship  with  neighbourhood  and  enlargement 
countries to develop blue economy supply chains that enhance links with the EU (in 
line  with 
the  Trade  Policy  Review  Communication).  The  Neighbourhood, 
Development  and  International  Cooperation  Instrument,  the  Instrument  for  Pre-
accession  Assistance  and  other  EU  funds  will  provide  continued  support  for 
cooperation  initiatives,  notably  to  implement  the  2nd  Ministerial  Declaration  on 
Sustainable  Blue  Economy61  by  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean,  the  renewed 
partnership with the southern neighbourhood62 and the Economic and Investment Plan 
for the Western Balkans.  

4.4  Maritime security 

57 Notably, with the Communication on tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond, the EU vaccination strategy, 
the safe reopening communication, the digital green certificate, and the re-open EU platform and app. 
58 UNWTO “Principles for the transition to a green travel and tourism economy”. 
59 SWD(2020) 206 final. 
60 COM(2017) 623 final. 
61 https://ufmsecretariat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Declaration-UfM-Blue-Economy-EN-1.pdf. 
62 JOIN(2021) 2. 

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A  safe  and  secure  maritime  space  is  the  prerequisite  to  preserving  EU’s  strategic 
interests  such  as  freedom  of  navigation,  external  border  control  or  the  supply  of 
essential materials  and for protecting  economic activities and citizens, both at sea and 
on shore.  

The EU’s maritime security strategy and the related action plan set out a cooperative response 
to the internal and external maritime security challenges of our time. One such challenge is 
environmental  security,  which  involves  anticipating  and  managing  climate  change  and  pre-
empt illegal discharges, waste dumping, accidents and other environmental risks. Exchanging 
information,  including  in-situ,  aerial  and  satellite  data,  is  a  crucial  factor  in  addressing 
security challenges, preventing illegal activities at sea and enforcing the law. Cooperation on 
coastguard  functions  between  three  key  EU  agencies63  generates  significant  economies  of 
scale  by  reducing  overlaps,  developing  multipurpose  operations  and  sharing  aircrafts  and 
vessels for search and rescuing operations, oil pollution response etc. To enhance information 
exchange,  the  European  Commission  has  developed  a  common  information  sharing 
environment for the maritime domain (CISE)64. 

The  CISE  will  enable  authorities  from  multiple  civilian  and  military  sectors  (maritime 
transport safety, fisheries control, marine pollution preparedness and response, protection of 
marine  environment,  customs,  border  control,  general  law  enforcement  and  defence)  and 
across  borders  to  exchange  real-time  information  on  any  occurrence  at  sea.  CISE  is 
voluntary.  Its  current  transitional  phase,  running  until  2023,  is  managed  by  the  European 
Maritime Safety Agency with the close involvement of Member States and other EU bodies. 
The  Agency  is  also  the  entrusted  entity  to  deliver  satellite  products  under  the  Copernicus 
Maritime Surveillance Service. 

The Commission will: 

-  propose rolling out the CISE’s operational phase in 2024, subject to the results of 
the  transition  phase,  to  create  a  fully-fledged  information  sharing  system  between 
maritime surveillance authorities in the EU.  

4.5  Promoting a sustainable blue economy abroad  

Promoting  a  sustainable  blue  economy  for  the  European  Union  cannot  stop  at  our 
borders. Many blue economy value chains are global and exposed to global competition, 
and EU operators do business  all over the world. Our responsibility therefore lies not 
only in defending the EU’s market from unsustainable products and practices, but also 
in  ensuring  a  level  playing  field  for  EU  businesses  in  the  global  marketplace  and  in 
promoting the EU’s expertise, environmental action and rule of law.  

In line with the International Ocean Governance Agenda adopted in 201665 and with the legal 
framework established by  the UN Convention on the  Law of the Sea, the Commission  will 
continue  creating  the  conditions  for  a  sustainable  blue  economy  internationally.  It  will 
continue  to  push  for  science-based  management  of  ocean  natural  resources,  including 
fisheries, by supporting sustainable maritime development within the EU’s partnerships and 
agreements,  and  by  promoting  sustainable  fishing  in  regional  fisheries  management 
organisations.  The  Commission  will  continue  to  fight  illegal  fishing  and  combat  fraud  in 
seafood  products  under  EU  regulations.  Through  its  Sustainable  Fisheries  Partnership 

63 EMSA, EFCA, and FRONTEX. 
64 http://emsa.europa.eu/cise.html.  
65 SWD(2016) 352 final. 

18 

 
 
 
                                                           
Agreements,  it  will  continue  to  improve  fisheries  governance  in  partner  countries  and  help 
develop local economies.  

In international negotiations, the EU should advocate that marine minerals in the international 
seabed  area  cannot  be  exploited  before  the  effects  of  deep-sea  mining  on  the  marine 
environment,  biodiversity  and  human  activities  have  been  sufficiently  researched,  the  risks 
are  understood  and  the  technologies  and  operational  practices  are  able  to  demonstrate  no 
serious harm to the environment.  

The Commission will: 

-  advocate, at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological 
Diversity, for an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework that protects and 
restores marine ecosystems and habitats and includes a global agreement to protect at 
least 30% of the world’s sea area; 

- 

- 

support  the  conclusion  of  an  ambitious,  legally  binding  agreement  on  marine 
biological  diversity  of  areas  beyond  national  jurisdiction  at  the  4th  Inter-
Governmental Conference of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea with the aim 
to promote the conservation and sustainable use of high sea resources; 

lead efforts  to  reach  a  global  agreement on plastics and promote the uptake of the 
circular economy approach on plastics, which would lay the basis for a stronger and 
more coordinated response to plastic pollution at global level; 

-  continue to work towards the conclusion of the multilateral negotiations on fisheries 
subsidies in the World Trade Organisation  - implementing Sustainable Development 
Goal  14.6  -  to  prohibit  certain  forms  of  fisheries  subsidies  that  contribute  to 
overcapacity  and  overfishing,  and  to  eliminate  subsidies  that  contribute  to  illegal, 
unreported and unregulated fishing;  

-  use all its diplomatic leverage and outreach capacities to help broker an agreement on 
the  designation  of  three  vast  marine  protected  areas  in  the  Southern  Ocean  (East 
Antarctic, Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula) in the framework of the Commission 
for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources;  

- 

- 

support non-EU countries in advancing and diversifying their sustainable, inclusive 
and  equitable  blue  economies.  It  will  secure  financial  support  from  the  multiple 
funding  sources  available  to  embed  the  sustainable  blue  economy  approach  in 
cooperation  on  ocean  governance  around  the  world.  The  Commission  will  consider 
setting up an EU-Africa blue task force; 

support  multilateral  initiatives  such  as  the  UN  Decade  on  Ecosystem  Restoration 
and  the  UN  Decade  of  Ocean  Science  for  Sustainable  Development  2021-2030,  in 
particular on ocean observation, ocean modelling and data sharing infrastructure; 

-  promote  maritime  spatial  planning  internationally  through  cooperation  with  the 

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO66;  

-  update  its  international  ocean  governance  agenda  in  the  light  of  recent 
consultations  and  recommendations  by  the  International  Ocean  Governance  Forum. 
The  agenda  should  ensure  that  the  blue  economy  protects  and  does  not  harm  the 

66 “Joint roadmap to accelerate Maritime/Marine Spatial Planning processes worldwide”, March 2017. 

19 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
marine  ecosystem;  it  should  promote  transparent  and  inclusive  decision-making  and 
raise social sustainability standards.  

5.  CONCLUSION 

This Communication puts forward the Commission’s proposals for a maritime policy for this 
decade, to make the transition envisioned in the European Green Deal a reality in the ocean 
economy.  The  forthcoming  Mission  Ocean,  Seas  and  Waters  will  complement  this  agenda. 
The  Commission  will  work  with  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  other  EU 
Institutions,  where  appropriate,  to  implement  the  tabled  agenda  and  the  measures.  It  will 
reach  out  to  all  maritime  stakeholders  to  engage  with  them  in  shaping  a  sustainable  blue 
economy in a fair and equitable way.   

20