Coherent and cross-compliant ocean governance for delivering the EU Green Deal for European Seas

The three-year CrossGov project aims to enhance knowledge on how coherence and cross-compliance of marine related policies and legislation affect the ability to realise the goals of the EU Green Deal for the protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity, and to co-create proposals and roadmaps towards this end. A core strength of CrossGov is the close collaboration with the policymaking community that will be engaged in co-creation of knowledge and recommendations for solutions. The background for the project is the complex multi-level and multi-sector governance system created by global and regional international frameworks, the EU and the European coastal states. This policy landscape has not managed to halt the degradation of European seas and will be challenged further by the EU Green Deal’s call for transformative changes. Based on scenarios and methodological guidance for studies of coherence, cross-compliance and scientific advice, the project will analyse how policies and legislation at various levels support or impede progress towards the Green Deal in the marine domain. The practical results of attempts to implement the various requirements will be studied in three regional cases (the North Sea, the Baltic and the Mediterranean), and in five national cases (Finland, Norway, Netherlands, France, Italy). The insights gained will be discussed with CrossGov’s Stakeholder Forum to co-create recommendations for better integrated policies towards implementing the Green Deal in the marine context. The innovative, web-based and fit-for purpose roadmaps and methodological guidelines will enable policymakers to effectively foster environmentally sustainable law and governance that is fit-for-purpose for delivering the societal transformation called for.