Europe’s marine protection community gathered in Brussels on 4 March for the 6th EU Blue Parks Community Workshop, held as part of European Ocean Days. Under the title ‘Open dialogue: Next steps for the European Blue Parks Initiative’, the event brought together over 100 participants, including representatives from public authorities, research organisations, policy, industry and NGOs, creating a dynamic space for exchange and collaboration.
Through presentations and lively discussions, the workshop reviewed progress towards Europe’s marine protection and restoration targets and showcased good practices. Participants explored ways to accelerate action during the Mission Ocean and Waters deployment phase and beyond 2030. They also identified priorities and support needs for the next stage of the EU Blue Parks Initiative, helping to shape the sustainable future of Europe’s seas.
Learning from national experience
Following a presentation by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on the state of marine protection across the EU, the workshop focused on the exchange of national perspectives, progress and priorities. Representatives from public authorities in France, Estonia, Romania, the Netherlands and Spain offered insights into where implementation currently stands in their countries. Experts from academia and civil society in Greece, France and Ireland contributed perspectives on financing, advocacy for action, and spatial planning and zoning for enabling more effective Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
What emerged clearly was the diversity of Europe’s marine realities. The size of MPAs, the variety of habitats, and progress towards the 2030 targets – protecting 30% of sea areas and strictly protecting 10% – differ widely across Member States. Yet despite these differences, the discussions revealed shared challenges and ambitions. Participants highlighted the need for clearer alignment of objectives and terminology across policy instruments – including the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and EU fisheries policy – as well as stronger delivery capacity, long-term financing, and practical mechanisms to transfer ‘what works’ across sea basins.
Cooperation between countries was highlighted as essential in the designation and effective management of MPAs in transboundary marine environments. Coordinated measures that support ecological connectivity between protected areas so they form coherent networks across regions will be critical to sustain biodiversity and enhance long-term resilience.
Fisheries emerged as a central theme across Member States during the discussions. Experts noted that fishers often support high levels of protection, understanding the long-term benefits for both fish stocks and livelihoods. Instead of framing conservation and socio-economic interests as opposing camps, participants stressed the need to focus on complementary tools, including other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) – a discussion still underdeveloped at EU level.
Priorities on the road to 30/30 – and beyond
The workshop sent a clear message: the 30/30 objective is achievable, provided there is strong political will. Greece was highlighted as an example of what rapid progress can look like, having increased its MPA coverage from 20% to 35% in less than two years. Participants also emphasised that strict protection – currently covering less than 1% of EU sea areas – delivers higher conservation outcomes than partially protected sites and must therefore remain a priority.
Speakers warned that spatial targets alone are not enough. Expanding coverage without ensuring effective management and meaningful pressure reduction risks creating ‘paper parks’ – protected in name only. Good governance, enforcement and collaboration with economic sectors and local communities are indispensable to ensure that MPAs generate tangible ecological and social benefits. Embedding climate change and risk considerations in MPA design and implementation emerged as another pressing priority.
Participants emphasised that capacity building, including training of managers and local actors in systems approaches that link ecological, social and economic dimensions, is a key enabler. They also highlighted the need for standardised methods to measure the effectiveness of MPAs and acknowledged the challenges of monitoring success, including defining clear criteria and the length of time needed to see the social-ecological benefits of protection in terms of boosting natural capital.
Funding remains a significant challenge. The financial gap for marine protection has been estimated at €700 million in the Mediterranean alone. This cannot be filled solely by public authorities: defining viable, long-term funding schemes including public-private partnerships and other financial mechanisms will be necessary. Participants also pointed to the need to better communicate the cost of inaction – the economic and social consequences of biodiversity loss – as a powerful but underused argument in funding discussions.
Turning knowledge into action
One of the workshop’s most striking conclusions was that Europe does not lack knowledge or tools. A wealth of methodologies and experience already exists to plan and implement the 30/30 target. The real bottleneck lies in bridging the science-policy gap to connect and scale: translating what is known into effective policy and management action to achieve measurable outcomes.
In this context, the EU Blue Parks Community was reaffirmed as more than a network. It serves as a bridge between evidence and implementation, building a repository of best practices, a forum for peer learning, and a platform to showcase success stories to support uptake and scaling. This shared visibility also helps sustain momentum and strengthen the case for continued investment.
The dialogue will continue at the Community’s next workshop in autumn. Subscribe to the Mission Ocean and Waters newsletter for updates and early registration.
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