The OA Alliance At European Ocean Days 2026

The European Ocean Days were hosted by the European Commission in Brussels from March 2 to March 6, 2026. In its third iteration, the week-long event centred around ocean-related topics with a particular focus on the European Ocean Pact, Marine Knowledge, Blue Economy, Investments, and Blue Careers. 

Ms. Inken Dressler, European Project Lead, Policy and Legal Research Fellow with the OA Alliance, participated in the first two days of the conference and raised awareness about the impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and human livelihoods and policy responses available to the EU and Member States through targeted one-on-one conversations.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, opened the conference by highlighting the European Union’s commitment to and leadership in protecting the ocean from climate-ocean pressures with the help of science. 

“We are all united in a common commitment to protect the ocean. Because we all know that for us Europeans, the ocean is central for our way of life. […] At the same time, the ocean is under more pressure than ever, from climate change to pollution to illegal fishing. […] The basis for our success is science. […] Science tells us about the state of the ocean today and tomorrow. ” (Ursula von der Leyen)

The EU is already a key player on the global stage, and it is now stepping into the responsibilities that come with this role. Moreover, speakers highlighted the crucial role that Regional Seas Conventions must play in facilitating necessary cooperation. They also underscored that the ocean is a vast, interconnected ecosystem, which impacts other ecosystems such as terrestrial environments through land-sea interactions. 

Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, also highlighted in his speech the importance of integrating the source-to-sea approach as part of the Water Resilience Strategy and the upcoming revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) which informs assessment of Good Environmental Status of EU marine waters.

Meetings held by the OA Alliance at EU Ocean Days further the dialogue amongst policymakers, scientists, industry stakeholders, NGOs and the public through our EU Stakeholder Working Group facilitated by the OA Alliance as part of their European Programme. The Working Group has already produced key recommendations for EU Member States and Regional Seas Conventions for integration of ocean acidification and climate change across the updated Marine Strategy Framework Directive. 

During the panel discussions, it was repeatedly emphasized that greater cooperation at the global, regional, and local levels is essential to address the challenges facing our oceans. 

Overall, the European Ocean Days provided an engaging atmosphere for knowledge exchange and networking between a wide range of participants, from researchers, NGOs and European State representatives, to private sector participants. 

We thank the organisers for the invitation and for creating a space that invited discussions. We look forward to the next European Ocean Days!