The EU Council held a policy debate on the European Commission’s vision for agriculture and food. Over the course of an informal lunch, fisheries ministers discussed the future of the common fisheries policy. The Council also dealt with a number of ‘other business’ points.
“The new Water Resilience Strategy will mark an important step forward. But it will only be the beginning of our journey. We will need to turn our ambitions to reality. And for that we need initiatives like this one, which brings together policymaking, businesses, and thought leaders” – EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall.
On 20 March, the European Council adopted conclusions on the Middle East, oceans and multilateralism. Delve into the details.
“Fresh water is fundamental to life on this planet and the website is enabling access to what is vital information,” said Sinikinesh Jimma, head of UNEP’s Marine and Freshwater Branch. “The more people know about the state of their local freshwater bodies, the more they can do to protect and restore them.”
“Our priority is the New Pact for the Mediterranean. The aim is to boost the cooperation between the European Union and our partner countries. We want to build on shared aspirations and explore opportunities for mutual gains – together and in consultation with our southern partners and stakeholders” – EU Commissioner Dubravka Šuica.
The Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the EU High Representative, reaffirm the G7’s “steadfast commitment to contribute towards a free, open, and secure maritime domain based on the rule of law that strengthens international security, fosters economic prosperity, and ensures the sustainable use of marine resources”.
The five days were packed with many EU-funded initiatives managed by CINEA, such as EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” Forum, the BlueInvest Day, the European Blue Forum, which organised the Fisheries and Ocean Dialogue, and the active participation of the EU4Ocean coalition.
A report published today by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) sounds the alarm: ships and vessels continue to pollute EU maritime waters. Even though EU legislation is improving and is sometimes even tougher than international rules, implementation by the 22 coastal EU member states is far from satisfactory.
“With this pact, we want to ensure coherence across all EU policy areas linked to the ocean, with clear objectives: developing a competitive and sustainable European blue economy; protecting and restoring ocean health, productivity and resilience; building a robust marine knowledge framework; establishing a global ocean governance and diplomacy; enhancing the resilience of coastal communities and cities; and putting in place a governance model that will ensure implementation” – EU
With the right measures in place, the concentration of macroplastics on EU coasts could be reduced by 42% in the next five years. European soils contain an alarming amount of harmful metal residues, but dedicated policies are expected to reduce them, a recent report of the EU Joint Research Centre says.
“Exposure to some chemicals has decreased, which is, of course, positive. However, sometimes those substances are replaced by alternatives that are equally toxic. Our work on REACH and on PFAS will be key to better protect human health and the environment from new risks, while at the same time simplifying the frameworks” – EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall.
The European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA) have released the second Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook reports. The findings highlight progress driven by EU policies, including reductions in air pollution, pesticide use, and plastic litter in the sea. However, pollution levels remain too high—especially concerning harmful noise, microplastics, nutrient pollution, and waste generation. Explore the latest insights on pollution levels and the path toward a zero-pollution future.
Starting this week, delegates at the COP16 Global Biodiversity Conference will convene in Rome to resume critical negotiations aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. Discover the key priorities the EU Commission will bring to the table and the financing solutions Europe is offering to support global biodiversity efforts.
Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner Costas Kadis today launched the first Fisheries and Oceans Dialogue, a crucial step in the development of the European Ocean Pact. The High-Level Roundtable brought together a wide range of policymakers, stakeholders and experts to discuss the future of EU ocean governance.
The scheme is aimed at supporting large Danish fish-processing companies in reducing CO2 emissions stemming from their energy consumption, by investing in projects such as converting from fossil fuels to electricity, renewable district heating, or biomass.
The EU Commission is presenting its Vision for Agriculture and Food, an ambitious roadmap on the future of farming and food in Europe. This roadmap sets the stage for an attractive, competitive, resilient, future-oriented and fair agri-food system for current and future generations of farmers and agri-food operators.
The workshop brought together the five agencies of the Task Force – the ECDC, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Environmental Agency (EEA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Several agencies contributed by developing a shared stakeholder engagement methodology and providing expert facilitation.
More targeted government support is needed to boost resilience and productivity in fisheries, a new OECD report finds. It warns that 65% of subsidies in 41 countries risk encouraging overfishing and illegal practices without strong management. Sustainable fish stocks are key to livelihoods, food security, and marine conservation.
“We are deeply concerned about the state of the Baltic Sea ecosystem and its declining fish stocks, which negatively impact our fishers and local communities. Several stocks have collapsed and many others have become very fragile” – EU Commissioner Costas Kadis.
“The Ocean Pact should be an integrated framework that aligns all EU ocean-related policies under a comprehensive and coherent framework. It must be ambitious, action-oriented, and inclusive, involving all sectors and stakeholders in building a sustainable future for our ocean and a resilient and competitive blue economy for our coastal communities” – EU Commissioner Costas Kadis.
“Already today in Spain, 74% of the country is at risk of desertification. Already today, 78% of European citizens say they feel the impact of environmental change in their daily lives. Already now, 800 million people around the world lack access to safe water. So it is a truly global challenge” – EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall
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