Blue Talks – The Union for the Ocean, its scientific ambition and its influence
Europe Jacques Delors and the Permanent Representation of France to the EU hosted a high-level Blue Talks – The Union for the Ocean, its scientific ambition and its influence” in partnership with the Oceano Azul Foundation.
The high-level event brought together policymakers, ocean leaders, and experts to discuss Europe’s ocean governance, scientific priorities, and diplomacy.
Keynotes by Ms Catherine Chabaud, Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries, and Mr Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, were followed by engaging panels on ocean science and international cooperation, featuring other distinguished experts and high-level panellists, including Ms Maria PANAYIOTOU, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (Cyprus) and Mr Timmy DOOLEY, Minister of State for Fisheries and the Marine (Ireland).
Moderated by Ms Geneviève Pons, President of Europe Jacques Delors, these sessions explored innovative approaches to sustainable ocean management and reinforced Europe’s commitment to global collaboration.
The discussions underlined Europe’s shared ambition to strengthen ocean protection, foster sustainable development, and drive global cooperation for a resilient blue future.
Key takeaways from the discussion:
1. The EU must maintain global leadership in ocean governance.
2. Stronger coherence across EU ocean policies is essential.
3. Investment in marine science is critical for evidence-based policymaking.
4. Ocean governance is increasingly linked to geopolitical and security dynamics.
5. International cooperation will be key to sustaining global ocean protection efforts.
Ocean science: From knowledge to action
Speakers highlighted that, as the ocean remains one of the least explored areas on our planet, investing in marine knowledge is essential for effective policymaking.
France-led Mission Neptune will contribute to closing critical knowledge gaps through deep-sea exploration. The Copernicus Marine Service already translates ocean data into operational tools for decision-makers. implemented by Mercator Ocean International, was equally emphasised. By transforming ocean data into operational services, it already supports decision-making today and will underpin Looking ahead, the Digital Twin of the Ocean, expected by 2030. will enable advanced “what-if” scenarios, to anticipate the environmental and socio-economic impacts of policy choices.
Recently announced by President von der Leyen, the OceanEye initiative will provide the overarching European framework to strengthen a pan-European ocean observation capacity and better translate scientific knowledge into actionable policy. Beyond Europe, it also aims to build an alliance of like-minded partners committed to science-based ocean governance, a goal that is increasingly strategic in today’s evolving geopolitical context.
Ocean diplomacy: leadership in a changing world
Discussions also highlighted that ocean governance is no longer only an environmental issue, but also a geopolitical and security priority.
articipants highlighted the need to reinforce global action against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing — an issue linked not only to biodiversity loss, but also to governance, security and socio-economic stability. Concerns were also raised about the environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining, underlining the importance of precaution and scientific integrity ahead of upcoming negotiations at the International Seabed Authority.
The discussion further noted that 2026 represents a critical window of opportunity for the designation of Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean, which are essential to safeguarding Antarctica’s ecosystems and their global climate-regulating functions.
Across these files, the EU has historically demonstrated leadership. Today, this leadership must be reinforced through stronger internal coherence and sustained external ambition.
Sustaining momentum
In closing, the current and upcoming Council Presidencies, Cyprus and Ireland, reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the ocean agenda. Enhanced cooperation among Member States and international partners will be essential to maintaining credibility and leadership as proactive stewards of the ocean.
A sincere thank you to all speakers and participants for contributing to such a rich and forward-looking discussion.
