On March 3-4, was held the Healthy Oceans – Productive Ecosystems: a European conference for the marine environment, in Brussels.

In 2008, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) was adopted with the aim of protecting and managing our seas and oceans in a sustainable way. The Directive sets an ambitious objective: to achieve and maintain the good environmental status of European seas and oceans by 2020.

The HOPE Conference brought together those working with the European marine environment, providing an opportunity to discuss progress made since the adoption of the MSFD, the problems that still remain and the solutions for improved coherence and better marine governance.

At the close of the Healthy Oceans – Productive Ecosystems (HOPE) conference, the following “Declaration of HOPE” output document was issued. The HOPE conference was opened by Commissioner Potočnik in the presence of 15 EU environment ministers, and over 400 other attendees, including representatives from Member States, the Regional Sea Conventions, academia, industry, NGOs and other stakeholders.