European "Ocean friendly" programs

The Renaissance list promises to invest massively in the ecological and solidarity transition by creating a Climate Bank and dedicating 40% of European spending to this transition. To ensure clean and safe drinking water, the party promotes a sustainable agricultural model with zero pesticides above drinking water areas. Renaissance will ban non-recyclable plastic by 2025 as well as microplastics added to cosmetics, detergents and paints by 2020. The party wants to increase from 4 to 30% the amount of European marine areas under the Natura 2000 Network, especially in the overseas territories to further protect the ocean. Eventually, the EU will be the driving force for an agreement on the protection of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in 2020, the counterpart of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The party plans to launch a European strategy to clean up the oceans and aims to build a Zero waste Europe by reducing waste at source, by supporting circular economy and fighting overpackaging and planned obsolescence. The program mentions the protection of the coastline by strengthening standards on highly polluting industrial and agricultural activities and by imposing strict regulations to fight against real estate projects that spoil coastal landscapes. It proposes a Program for the Sea: develop marine renewable energies in collaboration with fishermen and other sea users to prevent conflicts, refuse the commodification of the EU Common Fisheries Policy and transferable fishing concessions and fight overfishing.

The party plans to create a European conservatory of the coast and the oceans in order to initiate and implement preservation policies in collaboration with coastal countries, to protect the populations against the submersion and develop dune ridges as a buffer to climate change impacts. EELV also wishes to create an immediate moratorium on any exploration and exploitation of fossil fuels in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Member States. In order to limit waste in the ocean, to spread sustainable and consignable packaging, to enhance bulk sales, to develop and control the recycling channels and to implement glass bottles deposits. EELV wants to invest in prevention, repair and reuse through a tax system that promotes ​​virtuous practices. Finally, EELV plans to combat planned obsolescence, by generalising the bonus-penalty systems for disposable products, by extending product guarantees, by setting up an Extended Producer Responsibility at the European scale.

The party wants to ban pollutants and endocrine disruptors, which poison the ocean. The party aims at a zero carbon Europe free of fossil fuels by 2050. Vive l'Europe Libre supports the fight for the recognition of the Polluters Responsibility, in environmental scandals such as chlordecone in the West Indies. These new tools will also allow to lead the fight on red mud in the Calanques national park and in French Guiana against the Montagne d'Or project.

The program plans a Finance-Climate-Biodiversity Pact in order to finance the ecological transition. It proposes a transformation of the common fisheries policy to combat overfishing and respect the fishes' biological reproduction capacities. The party will support the development of ocean friendly sectors and the restoration of marine ecosystems. It wants to increase the surface of marine protected areas in the world and in international waters, during negotiations with the United Nations for the First conservation treaty for the high seas. In addition, the program mentions the preservation of mangroves and natural soils. It is also committed to ban plastic and polystyrene packaging throughout the European Union by 2025.

The Parti Animaliste's core program aims to protect animals, including aquatic animals, and therefore their environments and resources. It wants to strengthen the protection of marine areas against poaching and illegal fishing practices, program the stopping of bottom trawling, longlines, driftnets and wave fish aggregating devices, establish an ambitious plan against marine waste: sensitisation, prevention, cleaning of coastlines are part of the measures.

Faced with the state of ecological emergency, the party proposes the creation of a status of natural commons for air, water, forests, mountains, seas and land. It aims to end all European subsidies for destructive projects, to abolish industrial fishing, to strictly prohibit chemical pollution (red mud) and wrecks, and to increase marine protected areas. It prohibits advertising for all products directly using fossil fuels (cars, plastics, etc.).

UDI proposes to launch a major project for Europe against the plastic "continent". It wants the EU to push for an international treaty at the UN General Assembly so that each country establishes and upholds recycling strategies and targets. However, the program is focused on recycling and does not sufficiently address the waste reduction at source. In terms of maritime transport, and to limit carbon emissions, the program promotes the development of hydrogen transport.

The program promotes the "eco-social" economy by taking into consideration the ecological problems and the exhaustible natural resources in order to restore the ecosystems, reinforce the objectives of preservation of nature, seas, oceans and rivers, support for biodiversity and sustainable fisheries. It also promotes sustainable tourism, accentuates the waste reduction goals, explicitly integrates international air and maritime transport sectors into the Paris Agreement, and ensures the quality of the water supply by reducing pollutants in the environment.

The program is based on the Paris agreements and the current climate and environmental challenges, in order to pursue the ambition of making the European Union the first carbon-free economy in the world. It focuses on the development of offshore wind. The party advocates for the circular economy, focusing on combating ocean pollution and improving waste management.

The program aims to invest in clean seas, by eliminating waste and reducing agricultural and industrial waste especially through the effective punishment of infringements. It also aims to fight against overfishing with a stronger regulation, and wants to improve the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive to delimit larger marine protected areas.

The party proposes that a new offshore wind zone is developed in the Belgian North Sea area to reach an installed capacity of 4500 MW. The party also wants to generalize the deposit system for cans and PET bottles and that Belgium becomes plastic-free in three steps : 2020 end of the plastic packaging of individual fruits and vegetables / 2022 end of disposable plastics for which alternatives exist / 2030 end of any non-recyclable and non-biodegradable plastic.

"Podemos" proposes a European Plan for Employment and Climate (European Green New Deal) in order to finance the ecological transition. The party promotes a European recycling industry and a return and collection system for packaging and containers. The party will adopt sanctions against corporations and administrations that do not take part in the recycling industry or that sell waste to third countries.

On the other side, the party wants to protect the seas and oceans, as well as marine species and whales. It proposes an increase in marine protected areas and wants to promote a binding international agreement to prohibit plastic pollution. It will demand the end of whaling hunt and the creation of a legislative framework for the protection of marine mammals. "Podemos" promotes Plans for the Restoration of Ecosystems and Recovery of Threatened Species, beyond the Natura 2000 Network and with a higher funding than the current LIFE programs. At the same time, the party will fund scientific studies on the effect of climate change on European ecosystems, fish stocks and microplastics.

In parallel, the party denounces the privatization of the sea resources (water should be considered as a common good) and recognizes sustainable and economically viable fishing as a basis for food sovereignty. It wants to implement a participatory governance with the small producers at the core of the fishing system. Regarding the common fisheries policy, "Podemos" defends a fair distribution of fishing quotas, the transition from intensive to a more sustainable aquaculture, co-management of fisheries and protection against pollution.

VOLT wants to promote the circular economy in all sectors, and emphasizes the need to get rid of plastic: to consider the eco-design and life cycle of products, to prohibit single-use plastic objects, to use only reusable objects during large events, etc. The party wants to successfully implement the European Strategy for Plastics within the circular economy. The program does not directly address the ocean topic but gives an example of initiative (the Waste Free Ocean Initiative). It also fosters innovation in the waste collection, for example in lakes, rivers, seas and beaches. In parallel, the party plans the development of a coherent European bottle recycling system and proposes harmonized regulations regarding the treatment of waste. The program promotes sustainable tourism and advocates for the use of eco-friendly transport without specifically mentioning the issue of maritime transport.

The PSOE proposes an electoral program in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It does not detail precise measures for the ocean but the party is committed to the preservation of terrestrial and marine biodiversity and mentions the importance of SDG 14 (preserving and restoring oceans, seas and marine resources). The socialist party is committed to the circular economy and the alignment of all industrial, commercial, transport, infrastructure, agricultural, fishing, and energy policies with environmental sustainability objectives. For that, it wants to prohibit especially single use plastics. In addition, it proposes to launch a "Green Deal for Europe", accompanied by a plan of public and private investments to finance and accelerate the ecological transition.

The objective of the Party is to achieve healthier seas, encouraging the recovery of fish stocks and transparency of fisheries information, and prioritizing sustainable fishing. The fight against illegal fishing and the threat posed by oil rigs and oil tankers to the marine environment must be priorities in Europe. The party also wants to guarantee the principle of non-deterioration of water bodies and the application of the Birds and Habitats Directives. But the program does not develop specific measures regarding recycling, reduction of plastic production, or marine protected areas etc.

The program focuses on animal welfare and on the quality of its environment. It proposes to expand the Natura 2000 Network areas, both in number and surface, especially to designate new marine protected areas. The party also proposes more scientific research on the distribution of the protected marine species and habitats of the European Union. PACMA supports the preservation of rivers, seas and oceans. It proposes a drastic reduction of the overexploitation of fisheries. Finally, PACMA also includes in its program incentives for the use of biodegradable products, the reuse of consumables and the recycling of waste as raw materials, implementing packaging deposit systems.

The program does not include specific measures regarding the ocean but wants to create a Network of Underwater and Marine Parks. It will also promote a Circular Economy Law to minimize waste that goes to landfill, through the prohibition of single-use plastic products and the increase in household recycling. In addition, it wants to update the National Hydrological Plan, adapting it to the challenge of climate change and the 2030-2050 scenarios.

Pessoas Animais e Natureza’s program is the most comprehensive portuguese program on the environment and proposes very concrete measures on several fields related to the sea. However it is quite vague concerning microplastics, shipping or sustainable tourism in coastal zones.

CDS’s program adopts an integrated approach on sea-related topics, including the importance of water sports and education about water sports. CDS defends a strategy centred on “the sea economy”, proposes to develop services and sectors related to the sea - renewable energies, innovation and technology, turism, but lacks concrete measures in other fields (such as shipping).

The Manifest proposes an European Sea and Fishing Policy, centred on the sea economy and an investment plan for marine economy. But it stays quite vague and doesn’t propose concrete measures.

The Manifest offers an European strategy for sustainable development and growth, focused on the sustainable use of sea resources, new energy technology, circular economy, but it doesn’t detail the different measures.

The PCP Programmatic Statement is quite vague on the oceans, even if it includes considerations on the environment, natural resources and renewable energies. However, the "10 Commitments" of the Greens Party is more comprehensive, regarding the defense of water and the seas - in particular, with regard to the fight against plastics and the monitoring of the water of rivers and seas - but insufficient in relation to other points.

The Manifest refers to the issue of coastal areas facing climate change, the challenges of energy transition, the importance of renewable energy and the need for a sea policy. The priority is mainly the prohibition of extraction of sea resources.

The CDU-CSU coalition wants to stop the flow of plastic in the oceans. It developped an European strategy to avoid plastics.

The SPD party wants to act at different levels: protecting our seas at the European level, developing marine biotechnology for innovative sustainable products, sustainable aquaculture, marine and coastal green tourism, sustainable navigation. It promotes a significant reduction of shipping emissions and a 50% reduction of plastic waste by 2030.

Alliance 90/The Greens envisions clean oceans without plastic waste. It wants to ban microplastics in cosmetics. It is also committed to protect fish stocks, stop overfishing, protect marine life through an ecological fishing policy, and banning of trawling and other harmful industiral fishing techniques. It promotes the development of more ocean friendly fishing methods like aquaculture and technical improvements in equipment that reduces by-catch. It advocates for low-emission fuelsand a climate neutral navigation, through binding standards for fuel and emissions. The party wants to set higher recycling quotas, reduce the use of single use plastics by 50%, tax plastics, implement bottle deposits and cut subsdidies of oil and gas for plastic production. From 2030 onwards all plastics in the EU have to be reusable, degradeable or recyclable.

Die Linke wants to reduce the impact of agricultural and industrial pollution on the seas. It proposes an effective regulation of fisheries and a support for the technical conversion of fishing entreprises. It also advocates for the establishment of larger marine protected areas.

The FDP sees a huge potential in the marine industry for wave, tidal and wind energy, aquaculture, blue biotechnology and marine tourism. It promotes marine research, particularly about the deep seas. Even if the program seems to be very economically-oriented, it defends a sustainable maritime policy that reconciles economic use, environmental protection and safety. The party suggests ocean friendly fishing policies and promotes clean waters for recreational use. They want to reduce plastic trash but don’t mention specific measures to do so.

The program mentions a technology to filter plastic waste before it reaches the sea. It is also committed to effective fisheries regulation at European level, supporting ecosystem-specific fishing techniques and methods. Finally, it is committed to an internationally biding regulation in order to make deep-sea mining environmentally friendly.

The PARTEI wants to protect the seas by reducing plastic food packaging and more regulated fishing. It wants to drastically reduce catch quotas in European and polar waters, forbid bottom trawls and ban fishing and importing endangered species.PARTEI advocates for a climate tax for fight and cruise passengers.

The ODP wants to prevent overfishing and marine litter, especially microplastics. It wants to fund research and measures for the rehabilitation of the oceans and renewable marine energy.

The MLPD combats deep-sea drilling and the storing of toxic waste in the sea. It warns about the ""imminent danger of collapse"" of the world's ocean systems.

DAS ORIGINAL Party demands an European ban on plastic bags. It recommends to stop eating fish.

It plans political and economic pressures on non-EU countries that over-harvest or catch protected or endangered species as bycatch. It also fights contamination from agricultural fertilizers and aquaculture.