Brussels: The Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Kostas Kadis, spoke today at the third edition of the European Ocean Days, outlining the main directions of European ocean policy and the progress in implementing the European Ocean Pact.
According to Cyprus News Agency, during the event, which took place in Brussels, Kadis stressed that for a long time the EU's ocean policy had been fragmented and lacked coherence and a unified direction. He added that the European Ocean Pact marked a turning point.
He explained that the Pact constitutes a single strategic framework, structured around six pillars, covering environmental protection, economic competitiveness, support for coastal communities, strengthening ocean knowledge, maritime security, and international ocean governance.
The Commissioner noted that, under the first pillar, the Water Resilience Strategy has been developed with a 'source-to-sea' approach. He pointed out that, in close cooperation with Commissioner Jessica Roswell, the revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is underway to more effectively address the environmental challenges facing our ocean.
At the same time, he stated that the expansion and more effective management of marine protected areas is being promoted, with the participation of local stakeholders and fishers.
Referring to the second pillar, he underlined that the evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation will provide an evidence-based assessment of whether the Regulation remains fit for purpose, taking into account the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental.
He also pointed out that the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the Energy Transition Roadmap, aim to strengthen the blue economy and shield the sector against future challenges. He added that the sustainable blue economy will be further reinforced through forthcoming Commission initiatives, such as the Ports and Maritime Industry Strategies and the Sustainable Tourism Strategy.
Within the framework of the third priority, Kadis stated that the European Ocean Pact places support for coastal areas, islands, and outermost regions as a key priority. He noted that strategies for these regions will be presented this year, focusing on resilience, their economies, diversification, and youth engagement. In addition, he said that, in response to requests from Member States and their outermost regions, the guidelines on fleet renewal in those regions were recently revised.
As Kadis explained, the fourth priority recognizes that strong marine knowledge is a necessity for Europe's sovereignty and autonomy. He also referred to the 'Ocean Eye' and to the European Strategy for Ocean Research and Innovation, aimed at strengthening observation capabilities and translating knowledge into solutions with economic and strategic value.
He stressed that there is no doubt that the ocean is of crucial importance for Europe's security, particularly in the current geopolitical context. In this regard, he noted that the Action Plan on Undersea Cable Security and the Action Plan on Drones and Counter-Drone Systems, with a strong maritime and underwater dimension, will play an important role, as will the continued implementation of the EU Maritime Security Strategy.
Referring to the sixth priority, Kadis stated that a strategic framework for the Union's external action in the field of fisheries is being promoted, including the modernization of sustainable fisheries partnership agreements and the strengthening of measures against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, as well as the preparation of the Ocean Act for better coordination of the regulatory framework.
In conclusion, the Commissioner stressed that Europe must be a global ocean power, not only geographically, but also in terms of responsibility, innovation, and leadership.