The European Ocean Pact: Laying the Groundwork for an “Ocean Union”?

The European Ocean Pact, adopted by the European Commission in June 2025 and presented at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, is the most comprehensive EU initiative on ocean governance to date.

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The European Ocean Pact: Laying the Groundwork for an “Ocean Union”?

The European Ocean Pact, adopted by the European Commission in June 2025 and presented at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, is the most comprehensive EU initiative on ocean governance to date. Consolidating the EU’s ocean-related strategies into one overarching framework, the Pact is framed around six strategic priorities: ocean health, blue economy competitiveness, coastal resilience, maritime innovation and ocean literacy, maritime security and defence, and ocean diplomacy. The European Ocean Pact represents a significant step toward enhancing the EU’s leadership and coherence in addressing global ocean challenges.

Introduction

The Pact underscores the European Union’s renewed leadership in global ocean governance. With nearly €1 billion pledged toward 57 new voluntary commitments, the Pact demonstrates the EU’s determination to implement a rules-based maritime order rooted in UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), the recently adopted BBNJ Agreement (High Seas Treaty), and SDG 14 (Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water). By aligning these commitments with the European Green Deal and the 2030 Agenda, the EU reinforces its role in promoting sustainable and cooperative ocean governance. But beyond its environmental ambitions, the Pact is a response to a changing geopolitical landscape.

The Ocean Pact is not merely environmental policy; it is a geopolitical instrument. Oceans have become arenas of strategic competition, marked by competition over trade routes, energy access, and security infrastructure. In this context, the Pact positions the EU to assert itself within the global maritime order, where actors like China and the United States are already reshaping the dynamics, while the EU aims to establish itself as both a normative and strategic actor. It offers the EU an opportunity to recalibrate its ocean strategy in response to assertive moves by global competitors, while laying the foundation for what some, including Commissioner Costas Kadis, describe as a future “Ocean Union.”

Competitiveness and Innovation: Is the EU Falling Behind?

According to the European Commission, over the last two decades, Europe has not kept pace with other major economies due to a persistent gap in productivity growth. As emphasized in the Draghi report, and in line with the Competitiveness Compass presented by the Commission earlier this year, the EU needs to boost its competitiveness and speed up strategic transitions in both traditional and emerging blue economy sectors. Particular focus is needed on decarbonisation and scaling up innovation.

A core pillar of the Ocean Pact is its commitment to fostering a competitive sustainable blue economy development at the heart of EU economic resilience. The ocean economy is a critical driver of Europe’s future growth, spanning sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, offshore renewable energy, and marine biotechnology. The Pact stresses the importance of investing in innovation and research to increase the EU’s competitiveness by supporting the development of sustainable and innovative industries, and to bridge the technology gap with global competitors. By fostering emerging ocean technologies like underwater robotics, sustainable aquaculture, blue bioeconomy, AI-powered marine monitoring, and clean shipping, the EU aims to position itself as a global leader in a regenerative blue economy that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship. Through these integrated measures, the Pact seeks to revitalize marine resources, generate new jobs, and secure long-term economic resilience for Europe’s ocean-based sectors.

Equally important is the Pact’s strong focus on ocean literacy. By promoting ocean research, public engagement, and the use of advanced digital monitoring tools, e.g., the Digital Twin of the Ocean initiative, the Pact aims to cultivate a better-informed society capable of ensuring the sustainable and responsible use of ocean resources. Enhancing ocean literacy is seen as essential to supporting the sustainable development of the blue economy and ensuring long-term environmental resilience.

The EU faces growing pressure in the maritime domain, as geopolitical tensions, technological change, and the accelerating effects of climate change reshape global maritime dynamics. Although the blue economy already accounts for 4.9 million jobs (2.4% of total EU employment) structural gaps remain in maritime skills and research capacity. While the EU Ocean Pact acknowledges the value of maritime human capital, progress in this area has been slow and inconsistent. As highlighted in the Draghi report and reflected in U.S. efforts such as the Ships for America Act, investing in maritime skills is crucial to boosting Europe’s resilience and competitiveness at sea.

Addressing Gaps in Maritime Security

Climate change is redefining maritime geography: melting Arctic routes, rising sea levels, and shifting coastlines are transforming the very nature of maritime space. Shifting sea routes could fundamentally reshape global trade, with major implications for the EU’s blue economy and maritime security. At the same time, the strategic landscape of maritime connectivity is also evolving, along with the balance of economic and political power.

China has long recognized the strategic value of maritime economic power, using economic tools to shape geopolitical influence across key regions. China has strategically invested in upgrading its maritime industries and integrating into global value chains, enabling domestic firms to play a central role in expanding its maritime influence. This approach effectively converts economic development into geopolitical leverage. Evidence of this strategy can be seen in the rapid growth of maritime education and research in China, where the number of maritime students and research centers increased substantially between 2012 and 2022. In contrast, the U.S. has traditionally lagged in multilateral ocean governance, refusing to ratify UNCLOS, for example, but has recently re-engaged in response to Chinese advances. Meanwhile Russia’s sustained focus on becoming a top maritime power, particularly in the Arctic and Black Sea regions, reflects its strategic aim to protect global interests and strengthen its naval capabilities amid growing geopolitical rivalry. At the same time, the increasing U.S. military and scientific presence in the Arctic, including discussions over strategic assets in Greenland, shows a growing awareness of maritime competition.

The growing complexity of maritime threats, including attacks on underwater infrastructure, cyber risks, and strategic competition over maritime spaces, demands a coordinated response. To meet these challenges, the Ocean Pact prioritizes stronger coast guard cooperation and enhancing maritime domain awareness. It also calls for investing in cutting-edge maritime technology, expanding naval defence capabilities, and reinforcing Europe’s presence and partnerships worldwide, mirroring efforts such as the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy. The Ocean Pact’s emphasis on maritime security, critical infrastructure protection, and new defence tools suggests a shift toward more geopolitical thinking in EU maritime affairs.

From Pact to policy: What comes next?

Without effective implementation, the EU risks falling behind in an emerging maritime order increasingly shaped by actors who leverage control over critical maritime infrastructure and networks to secure long-term strategic advantage.

One recurring concern is the perceived weakness of the Ocean Pact’s enforcement mechanisms. As a political declaration, it does not impose binding commitments on Member States. Much will depend on the follow-up Ocean Act, which the Commission plans to propose by 2027. This Ocean Act will serve as the single framework for implementing the Ocean Pact, providing the legislative backing and streamlining the implementation of existing ocean policies. Building on a revised Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, the Act will improve coordination across sectors at the national level and promote a more coordinated and sustainable use of marine resources, to facilitate the implementation of the Pact.

Yet internal fragmentation remains a barrier. Divisions between Member States over fisheries policy, offshore energy development, and coastal management could dilute the Pact’s ambitions. Furthermore, ocean governance must compete with other foreign policy priorities, from the war in Ukraine to energy security and migration, which often dominate the EU agenda.

The Ocean Pact could still become a turning point, if it delivers on its promise of coherence and ambition. The proposed Ocean Act, along with the creation of a high-level Ocean Board and public EU Ocean Pact Dashboard, are efforts to ensure that this is not just another strategy lost in EU bureaucracy. The regional focus on the Baltic, Black Sea, Mediterranean and Arctic, each with its own strategic challenges, signals a more tailored and regionally responsive strategy.

Conclusion

As Commissioner Costas Kadis put it, “The core of the Ocean Pact is to coordinate and to bring together, to promote collaboration, to promote synergies.” The coming years will determine whether that collaborative vision can translate into real influence on the world stage or remain a well-meaning but incomplete maritime ambition.

By promoting sustainable ocean governance and a regenerative blue economy, the Pact aligns with broader goals of climate resilience, economic competitiveness, and international security. However, ambition must now translate into execution. The proposed Ocean Act (2027) will be a litmus test of the EU’s seriousness: can it turn political declarations into binding action?

(Photo credit: iStock.com/solidcolours)