The OSR 9 provides information on changes and variations in the ocean over the past decades, with a focus on 2023 and 2024 extreme events. This year's publication explores the deeply interconnected nature of the impacts of ocean change with changes in marine ecosystems, human society, culture, and the economy.

European Commission: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, Bogaard, E., Hoekstra, G., Kraan, M., Oudmaijer, S. et al., Baseline study on the training and certification requirements for fishers in EU Member States – Final report. Publications Office of the European Union, 2025

European Commission, EU Blue Economy Observatory, BlueInvest, 2024.

The Investor Report is a publication of BlueInvest, which was first released in in March 2023. It supports the aim of the BlueInvest initiative to boost investment and innovation in sustainable technologies for the blue economy by providing investors with an overview of investment activities and opportunities in the EU blue economy.
Moreover, it features the key innovative technologies and a sample of investment-ready companies across 10 sectors of the sustainable blue economy from the BlueInvest pipeline.

Commission européenne, Direction générale de la recherche et de l’innovation, Office des publications de l’Union européenne et CORDIS,Office des publications de l’Union européenne, 2024.

The ocean covers more than 70 % of the Earth’s surface and contains nearly 80 % of all life. As a source of oxygen, food, and employment, it supports billions of people, and also forms the planet’s largest carbon sink. This new Results Pack highlights 13 EU-funded research projects, amongst multiple other research efforts in ocean observing and show how they are essential for the sustainable management of the ocean. Sustainable management of the global ocean is key to successful biodiversity conservation, climate action, food security, renewable energy, and human health. Monitoring and protecting marine habitats are therefore essential to both human well-being and the world we live in, yet the majority of the global ocean is currently poorly observed or unexplored. To fill these gaps in scientific knowledge, understand the present state of the ocean, and predict the conditions affecting it in the future requires accurate, reliable data on the relationship between climate change, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

European Commission: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Borriello, A., Calvo Santos, A., Feyen, L., Ghiani, M. et al., The EU blue economy report 2025, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2771/2333701

The eighth edition of the EU Blue Economy Report, presented in a new layout, provides a thorough overview of the scale and breadth of the Blue Economy within the European Union (EU). Its primary aim is to offer guidance to policymakers and stakeholders in fostering the growth of ocean-based and maritime-related markets and the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources.

European Environmental Agency, 2025.

This is the second edition of EMTER, a joint report by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the EEA. It gives an update on the environmental performance of the sector and an assessment of efforts to make it more sustainable.

European Parliament, European Parliamentary Research Service, Scholaert, F., 2025.

On 5 June 2025, the European Commission adopted the European ocean pact. The world's seas and oceans are under severe and increasing pressure from pollution, climate change, and over-exploitation. The deterioration of the environment, coupled with the growing demand for maritime space and marine resources, has emphasised the necessity of coherent ocean governance — a goal that the ocean pact aims to achieve. The pact is a non-legislative strategy intended to serve as a unified reference framework for all ocean-related EU policies.

European Parliament, European Parliamentary Research Service, Scholaert, F., 2025.

During Parliament's April plenary session, a debate will address the planned European oceans pact. This initiative should serve as a model for sustainable ocean governance, and enhance the coherence of EU oceans policy. The European Commission intends to introduce the pact at the third UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

European Commission: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, F&S, IPSOS, POSEIDON, Tetra Tech, Davies, M., Macfadyen, G., Brugere, C., Chiarelli, N., Dale, F.Caillart, B., Foresight study on fishers of the future – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/3984926

The study represents the Commission’s commitment, outlined in its 2023 Communication on the functioning of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), to address emerging challenges in the sector. It aligns with the Commission's definition of foresight as “the discipline of exploring, anticipating, and shaping the future to inform today’s decision-making.” This participatory study places fishers at its core, integrating their perspectives into the development of future scenarios and fisher profiles to inform strategic policymaking for a sustainable, competitive and resilient EU fishing sector, as part of the wider blue economy. It does not present policy proposals, which was never the intention, rather it serves to stimulate further the important debate on securing and giving a perspective on the future of EU fishers.

European Commission: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Deloitte Consulting B.V and Ramboll Management Consulting, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

This study gathered and analysed available evidence on cruise tourism to support cruise stakeholders in moving forward on sustainability. It took place against a policy background of the European Green Deal, the European Commission new approach to sustainable blue economy and the development of a Transition Pathway for tourism.

European Environmental Agency, 2024.

Europe’s seas face increasing pressure from human activities. This briefing, the first in a series, addresses the need to transition to sustainable fisheries. It argues for an ecosystem-based approach to sustainably exploiting marine resources and moving away from adverse practices.

European Environment Agency, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

This report aims to raise awareness about the range of risks to human health associated with changes in water quantity and quality under the changing climate. It assesses our preparedness for ongoing and future impacts by examining the current policy landscape in Europe. At the same time, it seeks to inspire action by showing examples of practical measures implemented across various sectors and on various scales in the EEA member and collaborating countries.

European Commission: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, Ghent University, Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Møreforsking, Noord University, Roheline Vihmavari, sPro, Technopolis and Trinomics, Study to support a sustainable EU algae industry – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/3023544

This report presents a synthesis of the activities and outputs produced within the scope of a study commissioned by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) on “Support for a Sustainable EU Algae Industry”.