Improving Performance of EU Marine Governance

PERMAGOV sets out to improve EU marine governance so that it can better meet the goals and objectives established in the European Green Deal. The current largely fragmented nature of marine governance needs to evolve toward a more cross-cutting and agile arrangement, one that is in sync with wider developments taking place at sea, at shores and on land. PERMAGOV will achieve that by piloting a novel multi-level governance approach for various regional seas and national waters around Europe.
Four so-called 'target areas' of key importance to sustainable development have been identified. Each of these target areas comprise two or three case studies as follows:
- Maritime transport
- Case study 1: De-carbonising shipping
- Case study 2: Motorways of the sea
- Marine life
- Case study 3: Seabed integrity
- Case study 4: Fishing in MPAs
- Marine energy
- Case study 5: Floating wind
- Case study 6: Energy island
- Case study 7: Offshore wind
- Marine plastics
- Case study 8: Marine litter in the Baltic Sea
- Case study 9: Marine litter in the Mediterranean Sea

Objectives
Part of the problem with EU marine governance is its disjointed nature, with fragmentation observed between institutions, regulations and sectors. PERMAGOV aims to streamline the implementation of sustainable marine management by focusing on cross-cutting policy priorities in the four regime complexes, and by analysing within them factors that cause fragmentation.

Case studies
PERMAGOV will streamline the performance of marine polices by conducting a deep-dive assessment of 9 cases that share thematic relevance to the European Green Deal.
PERMAGOV Press Release
PERMAGOV organised a workshop in October 2025 to reflect on digitalisation and decarbonisation in the maritime supply chain, with a focus on shipping and ports. Stakeholders representing EU ports, shippers, ship owners, academia, and NGOs explored how digital tools and governance approaches can accelerate progress toward the European Green Deal and strengthen maritime sustainability. Digital polling and interactive collaboration tools allowed participants to jointly identify challenges, needs, and pathways for coordinated action around three thematic areas.
--- PLEASE FIND THE LINK TO THE PRESS RELEASE (PDF) HERE ---
PERMAGOV Survey
PERMAGOV has published an anonymous online survey examining how the integration of shipping (size 5000 GT+) into the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) will accelerate or hinder the implementation and performance of EU marine policies (e.g., decarbonizing shipping).
This survey will gather your insights and perspectives on the challenges in the ETS implementation and capacity of your organization as an actor group to mitigate or deal with these challenges. The results are planned to be used for a free and interactive online workshop to further discuss ways to improve actors capabilities in dealing with the ETS.
--- PLEASE FIND THE LINK TO THE SURVEY HERE ---
ESC contribution
ESC is involved as end-user of marine policies in the target area 'Maritime Transport'. In this target area, ESC will be contributing to the case studies “Decarbonising Shipping” and "Motorways of the Sea".
Further information
For more information, please visit the PERMAGOV website.