The European Commission launched a public consultation to help shape the European Ocean Act, a key legislative initiative under the European Ocean Pact, which is planned for adoption by the end of 2026.
The European Ocean Act aims to strengthen ocean governance in the EU, serving as a single reference framework bringing together economic, climate, environmental and social objectives related to the protection and sustainable use of ocean resources.
The consultation will run until 16 July 2026 and invites input from a wide range of stakeholders, including:
- public authorities and administrations,
- experts and practitioners,
- coastal communities,
- organisations and citizens.
Contributions can be submitted via a structured online questionnaire, with the objective of ensuring that the future Ocean Act is informed by real‑world needs and practical experience. The consultation follows an earlier call for evidence launched in January 2026.
Key objectives of the European Ocean Act
According to the Commission, the European Ocean Act will aim to:
- support the six priorities of the European Ocean Pact, including ocean health, a competitive and sustainable blue economy, support for coastal communities, knowledge and research, maritime security and defence, and international ocean governance;
- streamline EU ocean governance, reducing administrative burden and improving the efficiency and coherence of EU rules;
- bring EU ocean‑related targets under one overarching framework for greater clarity and accountability;
- modernise maritime spatial planning, reinforcing a sea‑basin approach and improving coordination across sectors at national level;
- create a legal basis for the governance of OceanEye, the European ocean observation initiative;
- enhance policy coherence by aligning with the ongoing revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
Next steps
The results of the public consultation will inform the preparation of the legislative proposal, which the Commission intends to adopt by the end of 2026, as announced in the Commission Work Programme 2026. In developing the European Ocean Act, the Commission is seeking to strengthen synergies between existing maritime and environmental legislation, notably the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.