The 7th meeting of the European Ocean Pact Stakeholder Group, organised by Europe Jacques Delors and the Oceano Azul Foundation, brought together key stakeholders to reflect on how to push for a truly ambitious EU Ocean Act. The meeting was moderated by our Vice-President Pascal Lamy, our President Geneviève Pons and Oceano Azul Foundation's CEO Tiago Pitta e Cunha, and marked an important step towards shaping a common strategy and action plan for 2026, with a strong focus on strengthening collective influence on the work of the European Commission.
Discussions were guided by the newly published policy brief: Analysing the European Ocean Pact and future Ocean Act, which framed exchanges on the Act’s ambition, governance and legal foundations, as well as its links with the ongoing revisions of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Marine Spatial Planning Directive. The policy brief provided a shared analytical basis for exchanging views, concerns and strategic insights.
Looking ahead, participants discussed priority advocacy actions for 2026 and reflected on how other legislative and institutional developments, including upcoming budget negotiations, could affect the future of EU ocean governance. The meeting concluded with a clear sense of direction and a shared commitment to work together towards positioning the EU as a leading “Ocean Union.”
Rediscover the pictures of the event here.