Through the coordination of strategic complaints to the European Commission, national litigation and scientific knowledge-sharing across Europe, the Coalition is supercharging efforts to protect Europe’s foundational marine ecosystems and accelerate the robust implementation of existing environmental laws. 

One year ago (in June 2025), environmental organisations filed landmark legal complaints against six EU Member States for allowing destructive fishing inside marine protected areas, and on which the European Commission has yet to take action. Today, these ecologically important marine areas remain largely unprotected from the destruction they were designated to prevent. This is a systemic, EU-wide implementation and enforcement problem.

The Coalition is joining forces to call on the European Commission to take infringement action against Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, which are still failing to comply with their legal obligations to protect marine ecosystems.  As the European Commission undertakes an evaluation of the Birds and Habitats Directives, the Coalition argues that what is needed is not a revision of these directives, but their effective implementation and enforcement, which will be decisive for meaningful ocean protection.

Learn more on France, Germany, Italy complaints and on Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain complaints.

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