EU proposes steps for safe, secure, clean and sustainable oceans

That is why High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini and the European Commission today proposed a set of concrete actions for safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed oceans.

“Our oceans are threatened by crime, piracy and armed robbery. Attempts to assert territorial or maritime claims are affecting regional stability and the global economy. We need to use all the tools we have to shape ocean governance and make it more and more part of the European Union’s external action,” said Mogherini on the occasion of the adoption of the joint initiative.

"With this Joint Communication, the European Union confirms its engagement to be at the frontline in the implementation of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, for the benefit of EU citizens and the whole world. At the same time this is also a concrete example of how the EU Global Strategy for foreign and security policy delivers in practice," she went on.Today’s proposal sets out 14 sets of actions in 3 priority areas: 1) Improving the international ocean governance; 2) Reducing human pressure on the oceans and helping the blue economy; 3) Strengthening international ocean research and data.The EU's role in promoting safety and security, global maritime growth and global governance through bilateral, regional and multilateral partnerships is underpinned by the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy.

The Global Strategy, presented by High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini in June 2016, calls for more joined-up internal and external policies.

This joint Communication aims at linking internal and external security dimensions of good ocean governance. It takes account of existing strategies notably the EU Maritime Security Strategy and regional strategies such as the Gulf of Guinea and the Indian Ocean and also the EU's Arctic policy. These efforts are aimed at resulting in better shared international responsibility for our oceans.