Briefing - Harnessing recovery plans for a resilient blue economy in the EU - 28-04-2026
In the European Union (EU) context, the blue economy encompasses marine‑based and marine‑related activities, together with marine education, research and relevant public‑sector functions such as coast guards, defence and marine environmental protection. This has been progressively reframed as a 'sustainable blue economy' aligned with the European Green Deal and EU marine environmental law. The EU policy framework for the sustainable blue economy is broad and integrated, encompassing key initiatives such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive and the European Ocean Pact. In 2022, the blue economy generated an estimated gross value added (GVA) of around €251 billion – about 1.7 % of EU GVA – and employed roughly 4.8 million people, illustrating both its economic weight and its role in coastal employment. The EU budget has traditionally supported the blue economy initiatives, not least through funds such as the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), Horizon Europe and InvestEU – to give a few examples. Additionally, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) has provided a significant, time limited boost: 17 of the 22 coastal Member States have integrated blue economy reforms and investments into their national recovery and resilience plans. A sample of relevant measures – covering sectors such as offshore renewable energy production, maritime and inland transport, port and waterway infrastructure, fisheries, and the digitalisation of maritime administrations – represent a combined allocation of more than €3.5 billion in RRF grants and loans until the end of 2026. The European Parliament has broadly supported strengthening the sustainable blue economy. It has recently voiced serious concerns over the Commission's post 2027 multiannual financial framework proposals. In discussions in the Parliament's Committee on Fisheries, Members of the European Parliament criticised, inter alia, the lack of a dedicated successor to the EMFAF, the scale of proposed budget cuts and the high flexibility left to Member States, warning that without legally ring fenced support and clear EU level rules, fisheries and smaller blue economy segments risk being crowded out by larger sectors in broader instruments.
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP
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