EU commits €300 million for clean, healthy and safe oceans
In support of the new commitments, the European Commission has announced €300 million of EU-funded initiatives, which include projects to tackle plastic pollution, make blue economy more sustainable and improve research and marine surveillance.
"The state of our oceans calls for determined global action. No country can succeed alone in this endeavour. It requires determination, consistency and partnerships, within and outside our European Union, and it is in this spirit that today we renew the commitment to protect Our Oceans," emphasized Federica Mogherini, High Representative/ Vice-President.
In addition, Commissioner Karmenu Vella, responsible for Environment, Maritime affairs and Fisheries said: "We need the oceans and the oceans need us. We have to urgently reduce marine litter and other sources of pollution, halt illegal fishing and support fragile marine ecosystems. And we have to develop our blue economy."
The 23 new commitments include €100 million for Research and Development (R&D) projects to tackle plastic pollution and €82 million for marine and maritime research, such as ecosystem assessments, seafloor mapping and innovative aquaculture systems. The new EU action also includes a €18.4 million investment to make the European blue economy - the economic sectors that rely on the ocean and its resources - more sustainable.
The EU's showpiece Earth observation programme Copernicus also features prominently providing support with another €12.9 million for maritime security and for research dedicated to coastal environmental services.
"Earth observation helps citizens around the globe to fight climate change, monitor the blue economy and marine pollution or to manage natural disasters. I am proud to call Copernicus a flagship EU space project," said Commissioner for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska