18 May 2026 17:23 UTC · European Commission · EU Commission Press Release · Source · Email X Link

European Commission says Ocean Act to strengthen maritime planning

Key points

Ocean Act will revise the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive
Preserve space for fisheries, aquaculture, marine protected areas, renewables, maritime transport

TL;DR

Commissioner Kadis congratulates rapporteurs and highlights the report's timeliness ahead of the Ocean Act
Ocean Act will build on the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive to strengthen stakeholder engagement, preserve space for fisheries and aquaculture, and support marine protected areas and renewable energy
Ocean Act will rely on up-to-date data via the Maritime Spatial Planning Platform and strengthen regional governance, notably in the Channel and the North Sea

Original text

European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speech by Commissioner Kadis at the European Parliament plenary debate on the report by Stéphanie Yon-Courtin on the implementation of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive Strasbourg, 18 May 2026 President, Honourable Members, Let me start by sincerely congratulating Ms Yon-Courtin as well as the shadow rapporteurs for their excellent work on this important report. I attach importance to that topic, as illustrated by the implementation dialogue I organised last year on maritime spatial planning. This report is particularly timely, as the Commission is preparing the forthcoming Ocean Act, a key legislative proposal under the European Ocean Pact, set for adoption by the end of the year. We launched the public consultation for the Ocean Act on the 23 rd of April. Let me briefly comment on some of the key elements you raise in this report. As you highlight, coherent maritime spatial planning requires joint use of maritime space by different stakeholders. National maritime spatial plans increasingly explore how to combine multiple uses of the sea. This includes fisheries and aquaculture, which can benefit from well-designed multi-use implementation, as well as marine protected areas. The goal is to ensure sustainable and adaptive, climate-smart management. To achieve this, Member States must rely on the best available and up-to-date data and information which is available on our Maritime Spatial Planning Platform. I am aware that maritime spatial planning and the increasing need to ensure co-existence of multiple uses of the sea require early involvement of the concerned stakeholders. This is why our proposal for the Ocean Act, based on a revision of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, will look into strengthening stakeholders' engagement in maritime spatial planning, with particular attention to coastal and local communities. Fisheries and aquaculture are vital for the EU's food sovereignty, coastal livelihoods and strategic autonomy. The Ocean Act will build on the revision of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive as a key pillar to reflect new policy demands while preserving enough space for fisheries and aquaculture, marine protected areas, and areas aimed at renewable energy production and maritime transport. The objective to further integrate aquaculture and shellfish farming into maritime spatial planning, is in line with the EU Strategic Guidelines for aquaculture. The Ocean Act will also look into further support for the identification of suitable aquaculture areas and increase coherence between national aquaculture strategies and maritime spatial planning. I also recognise the importance to work at sea-basin level. This means considering all the different activities that take place at sea, such as fisheries and aquaculture, and make sure they are all fully integrated into cross-border planning. The Ocean Act will look into strengthening regional governance, particularly building on the work of regional organisations and on stronger cooperation with non-EU countries. This is particularly the case in the Channel and the North Sea, where regional initiatives, such as the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative, already play an important role in ensuring a cross- border approach. SPEECH/26/1104

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