Tales of an Ocean Week in Brussels

A tidal wave swept through Brussels the first week of March as scientists, policymakers, investors and industry rallied for the European Ocean Days. The JPI Oceans Secretariat enthusiastically followed the discussions and exchanged with partners on how research, policy, and funding come together to give direction to Europe’s ocean ambitions.

With the European Oceans Pact on the horizon, the city was abuzz with a mix of official and unofficial events scattered around multiple venues. Costas Kadis, responsible Commissioner for EU fisheries and oceans and tasked with delivering the Pact, was at the centre of it. His inaugural speech set the tone for a week of intense debate on the future of ocean governance, sustainable blue investment, and marine knowledge.

The European Oceans Pact is expected to become the EU’s reference framework for ocean-related policies. First announced in January this year, JPI Oceans made its contribution to help shape it by submitting a response to the call for evidence and engaging in hearings and roundtables.

In his inaugural address at the Ocean Days, Commissioner Kadis described the Pact as a blueprint for ensuring healthy oceans, thriving coastal communities, and a sustainable and competitive blue economy. But as any seasoned navigator knows, a map alone won’t get you to your destination. Investment and support from data will be needed, and in great amounts.

Throughout the week, conversations surfaced a critical point: we need coordination between research and governance. The challenges raised—from pollution mitigation to sustainable fisheries—do not stop at national borders, and neither should the solutions. Throughout the process, JPI Oceans made it clear that we would stand ready to support the Pact’s implementation and ensure that it is built on international collaboration and scientific evidence rather than political aspirations alone.

In fact, the Marine Knowledge for the Ocean Pact session on 7 March drove home one truth: without better marine data and observation systems, the Oceans Pact risks being built on shaky foundations. Experts underpinned marine data not only as a scientific tool but as an economic and security asset. From climate forecasting and fisheries management to offshore wind planning, reliable ocean observation is crucial to sound decision-making across sectors. Yet Europe still grapples with fragmented data, restricted access, and gaps in real-time monitoring, some voices expressed. The Pact would be an opportunity to make a leap in data production and access.

Money (also) talks, and BlueInvest Day was all about unlocking the full potential of Europe’s blue economy. The sector, which generated €624 billion in turnover in 2021, still faces stormy waters when it comes to scaling up innovation.

Initiatives like BlueInvest are giving a significant boost to early-stage ventures, but securing capital for scaling remains a challenge. Funding gaps, regulatory bottlenecks, customer acquisition difficulties, and a lack of risk capital threaten to hold back promising solutions. While there’s no single silver bullet, the way forward would require more strategic financing mechanisms for later-stage blue economy companies, simplified permitting processes to reduce regulatory hurdles, and regional blue economy plans to create higher-impact investment clusters.

Additionally, transnational initiatives like the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, which plans to mobilise €450 million over seven years and in which JPI Oceans is a partner, contribute to building a more structured investment environment. Through JPI Oceans’ work with PREP4BLUE, we have also developed factsheets to help Mission Ocean-funded projects navigate the complex financial landscape and identify available funding options. Securing research funding, public investment and private capital, and making sure that the information is clear and accessible are essential to bringing good ideas from the lab to the market.

Speaking of Mission Ocean, the Progress in Action Annual Forum on 4 March cast a light on the ongoing efforts to protect and restore marine ecosystems, reduce pollution, and develop a more circular blue economy. Projects tackling marine pollution, deep-sea ecosystems, and ocean-climate interactions around Europe’s five sea basins have generated important insights; now it is the time to scale up to guarantee the success of the Mission’s targets by 2030. Learn more about how we have contributed our share through the currently concluding PREP4BLUE Consortium, launched in 2022 to propel the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters to a good start.

Towards 2030 but also beyond, the future of the sustainable blue economy and ocean governance is in the hands of the people who will carry these initiatives forward. This was evident at the Young Voices for the Ocean dialogue between the Commissioner and young Europeans (moderated by JPI Oceans’ very own Lavinia Giulia Pomarico) where the latter demonstrated that they’re not waiting to be invited to the table—they’ve already pulled up a chair. 

The energy wasn’t limited to Brussels debates. At events like the VLIZ Marine Science Day in Brugges, marking VLIZ’s 25th anniversary, young marine science students were eager to push the boundaries of innovation. At JPI Oceans' stand, we introduced our Joint Action quiz, which highlighted our work in advancing marine research while also testing participants' knowledge. As the day unfolded, we took a trip down memory lane, exploring how each booth represented a milestone in VLIZ’s history, from its inception in the year 2000 until today. Thank you, VLIZ, for the invitation, and congratulations on 25 years of excellence in interdisciplinary marine research!

Even the really, really young generations had their moment. We gave our quiz a fresh new look to make it suited for school students and headed to Science is Wonderful!, the annual science fair for children organised by the European Commission. There, we joined forces with EU4Ocean to bring ocean literacy to the next generation through many hands-on activities.

The enthusiasm at these events was a fitting counterpoint to an intense week of discussions. As much as Ocean Days were about policy and investment strategies, they were also about ensuring that future generations have the knowledge, abilities, and confidence to continue the work.

Now the challenge ahead is clear: translating earnest commitments into data-driven, science-backed action. Investment, marine knowledge and cross-border cooperation will decide whether Europe’s ocean ambitions sink or swim.