EU Advisory Councils question eligibility and stakeholder balance in European Ocean Board call for applications.
Several EU Advisory Councils have written jointly to Costas Kadis seeking clarification over the European Commission’s proposed European Ocean Board and whether the existing Advisory Council system will be included or sidelined.
In a letter dated 3 March 2026, addressed to Commissioner Kadis and copied to Charlina Vitcheva of DG MARE, the Advisory Councils raised concerns following the publication of the 11 February 2026 call for applications to select members of the Commission’s “European Ocean Board” High-Level Expert Group.
The signatories include the Aquaculture Advisory Council, Black Sea Advisory Council, Long Distance Advisory Council, Mediterranean Advisory Council, North Western Waters Advisory Council and South Western Waters Advisory Council.
Eligibility Questioned
In their correspondence, the councils state that while the published text appears to suggest the Ocean Board will “complement” existing sectoral expertise, including that of the Advisory Councils established under the Common Fisheries Policy, there is no explicit exclusion preventing Advisory Councils from applying.
The call specifies that the Board will be composed of up to 25 stakeholder organisations operating and representing stakeholders at Union level, with broad competence in ocean policy, the maritime economy and marine and coastal matters, including fisheries and aquaculture.
According to the letter, nothing in the call clarifies how those 25 organisations will be balanced across sectors such as fisheries, NGOs, energy, transport or mining. The councils note that the criteria also require strong geographical representation across EU maritime regions and high-level representation, such as president or director-general level.
They argue that, in principle, Advisory Councils meet these criteria and identify no incompatibility that would prevent an Advisory Council from applying as a Type C member organisation.
However, the councils say the wording indicating that the Ocean Board would “complement” the Advisory Councils raises important questions.
They have asked the Commission to confirm explicitly whether Advisory Councils are eligible to apply under the call.
Governance Overlap Concerns
Beyond eligibility, the councils have requested clarification on how the Commission envisages the articulation and division of roles between the European Ocean Board and the existing Advisory Council system if Advisory Councils are excluded.
They also ask how stakeholder consultation will be balanced, particularly in light of the type of stakeholders represented.
The letter notes that in recent years several new consultation and dialogue structures have been created at EU level, including high-level boards and implementation dialogues. While acknowledging that these initiatives can be valuable, the councils warn that their increasing number makes it more difficult to understand how stakeholder input, especially from the Advisory Councils, is integrated and prioritised across marine and maritime policy.
They state that clarity is required to ensure transparency, coherence and complementarity between governance mechanisms, rather than duplication or marginalisation of established advisory structures.
Call for Transparency
The tone of the letter remains formal but pointed. The councils stress that they remain available for constructive dialogue and cooperation, yet the underlying message is clear: if the European Ocean Board is to operate alongside the Advisory Council system, the relationship must be defined and transparent.
Without that clarification, questions will remain as to whether the new high-level body strengthens stakeholder engagement in EU ocean governance or risks diluting the structured role already played by the Advisory Councils under the Common Fisheries Policy.
European Ocean Board
The European Ocean Board was designed to be a new High-Level Expert Group established under the European Ocean Pact, launched by the European Commission in June 2025 as a framework to coordinate EU ocean policy. The Commission is seeking up to 25 stakeholder organisations operating at Union level, with demonstrated experience in ocean governance, the maritime economy and marine or coastal policy, including fisheries. Members must nominate senior representatives with sufficient expertise and a strong command of English.
The Board’s role will be to advise the Commission on the implementation of the European Ocean Pact, provide opinions on specific ocean-related matters and foster dialogue to ensure coherence between EU policy and private sector initiatives. It is also expected to play a central role in the Commission’s planned ocean observation initiative, supporting ocean knowledge, research, innovation and maritime economic development. Members will be appointed for up to five years, with annual meetings and reimbursement of travel and subsistence costs, but no remuneration.