EU ocean protection plan draws fire for weak enforcement and lack of binding goals

Days before the United Nations Oceans Conference, the European Union unveiled a marine protection plan that environmental groups say fails to deliver meaningful safeguards for Europe’s seas.

Rosie Frost reports for Euronews.

In short:

• The European Commission introduced the European Ocean Pact, a broad framework aimed at restoring ocean health, strengthening maritime security, and expanding the blue economy.
• The Pact includes plans for new ocean laws by 2027 and updates to maritime directives but lacks immediate enforcement mechanisms and binding targets.
• Environmental NGOs argue the plan perpetuates ineffective policies and fails to stop destructive practices like bottom trawling in protected areas.

Key quote:

“By deferring real action, this lacklustre Pact puts at risk the future of Europe’s seas and of the people who rely on them.”

— Vera Coelho, deputy vice-president of Oceana in Europe

Why this matters:

Europe’s oceans are in crisis. Marine ecosystems have been pushed to the brink by pollution, warming waters, overfishing, and destructive industrial practices like bottom trawling. Even areas labeled as “protected” often suffer from legal loopholes or weak enforcement. The European Union plays a central role in setting global marine standards and policies, especially ahead of high-profile summits like the UN Oceans Conference. Without strong, enforceable protections, coastal communities face increased food insecurity, lost livelihoods, and ecological collapse. Environmental watchdogs worry that watered-down commitments signal a lack of political will to confront member states that routinely violate existing rules.

Read more: Oceans are losing light as marine ecosystems face narrowing zones for life